


Little Princess

by vmplvr1977



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Child Clarke Griffin, Clarke is total brat at first, F/F, F/M, I throw canon out the window, Lexa can't say no to Clarke, Like really slow, No Underage Sex, She grows out of it, Slow Burn, Teen Clarke Griffin, Vampire Clarke Griffin, Vampire Lexa (The 100)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 69,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22480663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vmplvr1977/pseuds/vmplvr1977
Summary: An 1100 year old prophecy makes the first born female child in the Griffin bloodline Lexa's soulmate. Fate brings them together way too soon.
Relationships: Abby Griffin/Jake Griffin, Anya/Clarke Griffin, Clarke Griffin & Nia | Ice Queen, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Clarke Griffin/Roan, Costia/Lexa (The 100), Echo/Clarke Griffin, Lexa/Ontari (The 100), Octavia Blake & Clarke Griffin & Raven Reyes
Comments: 472
Kudos: 1436





	1. Little Princess

**Author's Note:**

> I have a nasty cold and can't focus enough to write anything, so I told my wife to pick something from my docs that she liked. She usually has pretty good taste, but I didn't check for errors. It's not finished, but it'll give you something to read while I sleep off my cold.

**July 4, 1996**

  
  
  


"Thank you again, Lexa. I'm sorry you had to go out of your way to bring me home." Jake offered, smiling at his wife and daughter that were waiting for him in the front yard. They were sitting in the brunette’s black BMW that was parked in the long gravel driveway. Up until two years ago, the brunette spent a great deal of time with Jake and Abby. Now there was this… divide. Jake and Lexa knew why, his wife did not.  _ Now we've grown so far apart he thinks he has to thank me for giving him a ride home from work. _

"It was really no trouble at all, Jake. I am happy to help anyway I can, we have been friends for many years and I hope for many more." Lexa replied sincerely and Jake's face filled with a hopeful smile. 

"Why don't you join us for dinner? Abby made spaghetti and meatballs to celebrate, between us it is the only thing she cooks well." Jake offered with a chuckle and the brunette joined him, smiling widely.

"I appreciate the offer, but..." Lexa replied, closely watching the blonde toddler running through the yard with a bright smile and arms flailing happily. 

"Special diet, of course. A glass of red wine, then? I have one set aside,  **especially** for you and I can't keep coming up with excuses for Abby to not drink it. You can meet my daughter, I know you don’t like kids but I'm certain you will fall in love with Clarke." Jake suggested and the brunette shook her head, then gave him a kind smile.  _ That's what I'm afraid of. _

"Thank you Jake, but Cos..." Lexa stopped when Jake placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a sad smile. The brunette suddenly became very terrified of the conversation that had been looming over their heads for two years.  _ It's too… strange. You're one of my best friends and that makes it worse! _

"Lex, Clarke is the first female born into my family in ten generations…" Her friend offered, but it did little to calm the storm inside her.  _ I met Costia two days before she was born and I’m happy, really happy. Why is this happening now? _

"I know!" Lexa didn't mean to shout, but it happened regardless and she immediately regretted it, taking a deep breath. "That is why I think it would be best that we do not meet until she is older.  **Much** older." The brunette gulped as the blonde tossed a big rubber ball across the yard and chased behind it with a big smile.  _ I don’t… do kids. They’re messy, loud and are always whining about something. I don’t want that to be my first impression of her... _

"So you're saying that you see  **me** as a toddler? After all of the dangerous, stupid things we've done together in the last thirty years? Well, on my part at least." Jake shrugged then gave her a smirk and Lexa chuckled, shaking her head.

"No Jake, I do not. You are one of my closest friends and I don't want...  **this** to ruin our friendship." Lexa gestured towards the yard and sighed, before Jake nudged her with his elbow. 

"Lex, I'm happy about this! Knowing that you and my daughter are…" Jake was cut off by the sound of squealing wheels and Lexa looked up just in time to see a vehicle lose control, clipping an electrical pole. The car began to flip in the air and the brunette's heart stopped to find the girl in question directly in its path. The brunette didn't hesitate, she was in front of the child in a flash and wrapped her arms protectively around the toddler as the car struck her. The sound of bending metal filled the air, joined by shouts coming from Jake and screams from Abby. A sharp piece of metal impaled Lexa's chest and the child in her arms let out a shrill scream. 

"Jok! (Fuck!)" The brunette grunted painfully and looked down at the child in her arms, who was sobbing. It was strange, Lexa had grown cold to many things throughout the years, the cries of screaming children being one of them. After over a millennium, she learned it was often for dramatics and more often than not, she found children annoying. Yet looking into those watery blue eyes, she felt an overwhelming need to protect and please the blonde. "Shh… it's okay Klark, you're safe." The brunette gave the girl a smile and the blonde's tears ceased then she wrapped her tiny arms around Lexa's neck.  _ Well, jok… guess it's not bullshit after all.  _

"CLARKE!!! Oh my god, oh my god!!" Abby screamed as Jake ran forward, finding them pinned between the upside down car and a large tree. Lexa met Jake's eyes and then she moved her right arm behind her to push the car off of them. Jake gave her a nod of understanding, making a loud grunting sound and pretended to push the car while Lexa easily moved the car backwards.

"Lexa, take Clarke inside before the police arrive." Her friend instructed, gesturing to her clothing that was covered in ebony and Lexa hoped that Abby was in too much shock to notice.  _ Shit! _

"What? No, they need to stay still until the ambulance…" Abby argued as Lexa realized there was a mother and child trapped in the car.

“Jake, there are people inside that need help…” Lexa started and her friend nodded in agreement.

"I'll call 911, take Clarke inside and do not leave the house until they are gone, do you understand? Abby and I will handle this." Jake met her eyes, as he spoke and Lexa nodded in agreement. 

"Jake this is ridiculous, they need to go to the hospital!!" Abby was almost shouting and Lexa was very grateful the house she bought them for their wedding present was off the beaten path.  _ The odds of a car losing control out here are very slim. Though the smell of booze is overwhelming right now. _

"Focus, Abby!! Lexa and Clarke are unharmed, but there are people in the car that need your help!!" Jake shouted causing Abby to jump into action, completely unaware of the brunette's ebony soaked white dress shirt.  _ Thank you, Jake. _

"Yu ste klir, ai hainofi. (You are safe, my Princess)" Lexa assured the blonde child, who buried her face in the brunette's neck as they went inside the house. Lexa set the girl down on the couch, closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a few moments.  _ This isn't happening... _ The sound of the door opening caught her attention and she opened her eyes. Lexa immediately noticed a large tear in the child's shirt, soaked in a mixture of crimson and ebony blood, yet there was no wound.  _ Jok! _ Abby pushed the brunette aside to check her child for injuries and shook her head in disbelief when she found none.  _ Dammit, now we're connected… as if an ancient prophecy wasn't enough. _

"I… I don't understand, the blood… there should be a wound… and your blood… why is it..." Abby stuttered and the brunette closed her eyes again, considering how to explain.  _ I'm a vampire that's destined to be your daughter's soulmate and I accidentally healed her with my blood, connecting us for the rest of her life. Definitely not going to work! _

"Abby!!! The girl needs your help… now!!!" Jake shouted from outside and Abby sighed in defeat, grabbing her bag then heading out of the door. The brunette thought perhaps she should help, before a small hand squeezed her cheek and smiled up at her with those big blue eyes.

"Hi!" Clarke exclaimed happily and Lexa took a hard gulp before returning the smile.  _ Here goes nothing... _

"Hello, Klark... I'm Lexa, your soulmate." The brunette stated as the blonde crawled into her lap, touching her face with both hands and looking very excited.

"Wexa!" The girl exclaimed and Lexa nodded, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.  _ This isn't weird… at all. Just meeting my soulmate… who I've been destined to meet for over a millennia... and there is a  _ **_very_ ** _ good chance that she's wearing a diaper right now… ok, this  _ **_is_ ** _ weird, completely fucked up weird... how is Jake ok with this? _

"Yes." The brunette replied, trying desperately to reign in her emotions and not focus on an eleven hundred year old prophecy.  _ Did it have to be Jake's daughter? I know he said he's happy about it, but… _

"Wexa pwetty! Hungwee Wexa?" Clarke had the strangest expression on her face, as if she were trying to figure out a mystery and the brunette narrowed her eyes.  _ I can’t even have a conversation with her. _

"I'm sorry Klark, are you asking if I'm hungry?" Lexa raised an eyebrow and those big blue eyes looked deep into her green, nodding with enthusiasm. "Not… right now…" The brunette's eyes went wide as the child hopped off her lap and ran excitedly towards the kitchen.

"I hungwee!! Wexa feed me!" Clarke squealed as she ran and the brunette shook her head in disbelief, finding this incredibly awkward.  _ Soulmate… toddler soulmate… this is why I wanted to wait to meet her. _

"Okay… what do two year olds eat?" Lexa replied and followed behind the child, finding herself actually wanting to please the girl.  _ Yep, totally awkward… I haven't had actual food in…  _

"Sketti!!" The child pointed up at the abandoned spaghetti on the table and the brunette chuckled, then picked-up the girl.  _ You’re smart, I’ll give you that Clarke. _

"Sha, ai hainofi. (Yes, my princess)" Lexa set the child in the high chair that had already been prepared for the girl and scooped her a bowl, then handed it to her. She watched the child carefully as she clumsily shoved meatballs into her mouth and messily slurped strings of spaghetti. It was beyond surreal to Lexa, thinking that this must be some cosmic joke and she shook her head in frustration. "What am I doing, Klark? You're sitting there, eating spaghetti… with your hands, no less and I'm supposed to what… put my entire life on hold to watch you shove meatballs in your mouth?? I have a girlfriend and things are really, really good… I can't just push Costia aside for a two year old…" The brunette grumbled, then looked at the girl in shock when she let out a scream and tossed her bowl across the table.

"MY Wexa!!!" Clarke shouted angrily and the brunette was too taken aback by the outburst to argue with her as she made her way to clean up the mess. 

“Already jealous of other women, I see.” Lexa grumbled then tidied up as the child began picking up the food that had fallen onto her tray and ate it as if it was normal.  _ Now she's eating food that dropped out of her mouth... half eaten, it’s probably covered in saliva and god knows what else. Such a wonderful introduction to the supposed love of my life, I can't wait to tell stories of how we met.  _ Though Lexa never ate human food, she was aware that leaving it out would make it go bad and decided to put it in the fridge for the Griffins to eat later. The moment the table was cleared, a familiar voice filled the air.

"Hod me, Wexa!!" Clarke exclaimed with her two tiny arms reaching towards the brunette and smiled widely when the green eyed vampire lifted her in her arms.  _ I can't believe I'm doing this… she has red sauce all over her face… and now it's on my clothes... and neck... and face.  _ Clarke proceeded to latch onto a strand of the brunette's hair and shoved it into her mouth then began chewing on it.  _ This is unbelievable… I'm a vampire, not a nanny! _

"Klark that's my hair, not food." Lexa sighed and pulled her hair, which now had half eaten chunks of meatballs in it, out of the child's mouth. _Oh, god... that's so gross!_ Clarke visibly pouted and reached her tiny hands towards the necklace around the brunette's neck. "No, Klark... that's not food either!" Lexa protested as the blonde began to chew on the chain and attempted to pull it free of her grip, until Clarke started crying. The brunette sighed defeatedly and decided it wouldn't kill the child, not like she could chew through the metal. "Fine. Let's clean us both up, so I don't have to explain to Cos why I have food in my hair." Lexa grumbled, trying to ignore the excitement on the blonde's face as she carried her to the guest bathroom. Clarke seemed determined to chew and slobber all over the brunette's necklace, making it very difficult to wipe her clean. _Not at all how I pictured this, I thought we'd stay in expensive hotels and travel the world._ Once both the vampire and toddler were spaghetti free, the vampire set the girl on the guest bed. Luckily, Lexa had a stash of clean clothes in the guest room and quickly changed into clean clothes, then put her hair up so it wouldn't be nawed on by a certain toddler. The blonde giggled pointing at the vampire, wearing grey sweatpants and _Xena Warrior Princess_ t-shirt. “What? Just because I’m immortal, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate cheesy television. Besides, it’s kind of ground breaking considering the lesbian undertones, not that you would understand. What kind of shows do you watch, Sesame Street?” Lexa asked and the child scooted off the bed, rushing to the television in the room.

"Wugwats, Wexa!" Clarke pointed at the TV and the brunette shook her head, as a two year old turned on the cable box. The television lit up and was thankfully on the correct station, suggesting it was normal for the girl to watch cartoons in the guest room. The blonde turned and ran towards Lexa as she took a seat on the guest bed with a sigh. “Up, Wexa! Up!” The blonde demanded with arms up and the brunette shook her head then lifted the girl onto the bed. Clarke scooted into Lexa’s lap and watched the cartoons with wide eyes, while mindlessly chewing on the chain of the brunette’s necklace.  _ Hope you don’t mind, Cos… my soulmate loved your expensive birthday present to me so much, she insisted on putting it in her mouth.  _ Lexa rolled her eyes and watched god knows how many cartoons with the toddler. In truth, besides eating her necklace Clarke was well behaved and smart. She laughed at jokes that only adults would understand and seemed happy that Lexa chuckled as well.  _ How do I even explain this… to anyone. I can see it now, recalling stories of my soulmate slobbering all over me while we watched cartoons.  _ The vampire heard most of what was happening outside, her senses were far superior to humans. It was a mother and child in the car. The child had a piece of metal embedded in her leg and the mother seemed surprisingly uninjured, despite the wreckage. That part infuriated Lexa, it wasn’t fair that the child suffered and the mother that had a variety of illegal drugs in the car was practically untouched.  _ Raven Reyes, cover the medical expenses and keep an eye on her, maybe set aside a fund for college or whatever. _ As the rage boiled inside her, she felt a small hand on her cheek and looked down into questioning blue eyes.  _ Dammit, she can sense my emotions because of the blood. _

“Sorry, strikon. (Little one) I didn’t mean to upset you.” Lexa smiled down at those blue eyes, then shifted her eyes to the bedroom door at the sound of footsteps and waited for Jake to appear.

“Hey, sorry it took so long. Abby went along with the story and the driver was clearly impaired, so you don’t need to worry about any unwanted attention.”

“I wasn’t worried, Jake.” Lexa smiled and moved to the edge of the bed, setting Clarke on the floor as she stood up.

“Wexa, hod me!!!” The blonde looked up at the brunette with small arms up and Lexa smiled softly, shaking her head.

“I can’t right now, ai hainofi. I have to go home…” 

“WAAAAAHHHHH!!” Clarke screamed and immediately burst into an uncontrollable sob, causing Lexa to close her eyes as she took a deep breath.  _ Seriously? Possessive much? _

"Did I forget to mention that Clarke's incredibly stubborn?" Jake offered with a chuckle and the brunette shook her head in frustration.

"I’ve noticed… Jake I’m sorry, this is too much. Look at her, she's a baby!" Lexa replied with an exasperated tone, yet still pick up the blonde and rolled her eyes when Clarke instantly stopped crying once in her arms.

"I was younger than Clarke when you met me…" Jake argued and he was right, she was there the day he was born, then every milestone after.  _ Yes, but... _

"This is different. You’re my friend, not my lover… How do I explain this to Costia?" Lexa retorted only to receive a stern look from the blonde.

“MY Wexa!!” Clarke pouted with watery eyes and Jake chuckled, while Lexa was horrified.  _ See, this is exactly why I didn't want to meet her yet. I have a girlfriend, that I intended on proposing to and now a two year will have a meltdown if she finds out. _

"She’s obviously crazy about you, Lex… she doesn’t do this with anyone. Clarke tells most strangers to stay away, seems like fate to me. How many centuries have you been protecting my family?" Jake asked, smiling at the blonde as she rested her head comfortably on his friend’s shoulder.

"You know how long…" Lexa lowered her tone, realizing the child in her arms was finally getting drowsy and did not want to upset her.

"Eleven centuries and how many of my ancestors have you called friends in that time?" Jake argued with an equally lower tone and the brunette shook her head, sighing.

"All of them. Jake this is…" Lexa looked down, finding Clarke completely asleep and perhaps drooling on her shoulder.  _ I feel something wet… why must she slobber everywhere? _

"How? How is it different? You have been both my family's guardian angel and best friend for all those centuries. I know you didn't do it with the intention of finding true love and yet you knew from the beginning that they were one in the same. First female born to my family is destined to be your soulmate, that’s my daughter! There is no one I’d rather Clarke spend eternity with than you, Lex." Jake was getting too passionate about this for Lexa to handle at the moment and she longed to go home so she could forget about this.  _ How can you not understand that this is awkward for me? _

"I'm sorry… what did you just say?!?" Abby interjected and Lexa turned to see the doctor covered in blood, then pinched the bridge of her nose.  _ Ignore the smell… focus on something else…  _ The brunette’s eyes shifted to the blonde, who looked beyond content at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Jake… I just can't." Lexa shook her head and passed the sleeping child to her father, then flashed out of the house.

  
  
  


*******************************************************

**September 7, 1998**

  
  
  


"You better be fucking kidding me right now, Lex!" Anya grumbled as they looked across the street, leaning against Lexa's car and looking completely out of place. On either side of the two women were Lincoln and Gustus, all four dressed in business suits with dark sunglasses. They looked almost like they were sizing up a bank before a heist and yet this was very different.  _ This is more important. _

"I am not." Lexa replied, following every movement of the blonde girl on the playground, climbing monkey bars, slides and swings.

"I am over a thousand years old, I've brought warlords to their knees and you want me to protect a preschooler?" Anya argued and Lexa simply shrugged, then gestured at the blonde's friend.

" **Two** preschoolers, the dark haired one with the leg brace and Klark. I've made arrangements so Klark and Raven will always go to the same school, so it should be easy. If there is anything they require, you are to provide it for them… food, clothing, school supplies, rides to and from school." The brunette offered and the copper eyed vampire shook her head in frustration.

"This is without question the stupidest request you have ever made of me!!" Anya grumbled, Lincoln nudged her with his elbow and smiled.

"I think they're cute… look how happy they are." He offered with a shrug and the copper eyed vampire shoved him, then shot him an angry glare.

"No one asked you, Link. We're the highest ranking Trikru generals in the Coalition and she wants us to babysit four year olds." Anya was normally grumpy, many argued that she should have the nickname Ice Queen, instead of Nia. Yet she was one of Lexa's oldest, most trusted friends and arguably the finest warrior, other than Lexa.  _ Clarke will be safe with you and I need to protect her. _

"They won't  **always** be four, Anya. Eventually they will grow up and become adults, you may actually be friends one day." Lexa tried to convince her and could see Anya was going to be difficult about this.  _ I know it appears to be beneath you, but this is the most important assignment I've given you. _

"Lincoln's right, they're adorable. Look at those chubby cheeks! I can't wait to go shopping for them, have you seen those tiny little outfits in the mall?" Gustus had a huge smile watching the children, which was almost comical considering his size and outward appearance. Even dressed in a suit, he looked intimidating and the facial Trikru tattoos from his human life added to that.

"I hate kids Gus, you know that! They're loud, dumb and dirty… look at that kid over there, he's eating dirt! This is too humiliating, I won't do it!" Anya shook her head defiantly and Lexa shot her a murderous glare.

"Yes, you will. Lincoln and Gustus will split shifts with you." The brunette's voice was calm and commanding as she spoke to ensure Anya she was not changing her mind.

"And who will protect you while we're on diaper duty?" Anya grumbled and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Indra, not that I need protection and they don't wear diapers anymore." Lexa replied, keeping her eyes on the blonde that seemed to be in charge of the playground. The little girl was busy bossing everyone around, insisting that everyone get equal time with each section of the playground. Clarke and Raven climbed the steps to the slide, then slid down together squealing. Once at the bottom, the blonde helped her friend stand up and then the girls headed to the swing set.  _ I need to speak to Abby about getting Raven a better brace… one that makes it easier for her to play. _

"Fine, but if I get vomit or boogers on my clothes…" Anya stopped, watching in disbelief as a little boy shoved the blonde into the mud and Lexa was standing over the child in a flash.  _ How dare you!!!! _

"Hey! You  **do not** touch Klark…  **ever** !" Lexa was nearly shouting, looking down at the boy with green eyes turning black while peering over her sunglasses and fangs protruding.

"Chil yu daun, ai ste klir! (Calm down, I'm safe.)" The child tugged on her jacket and looked up at her with those big blue eyes, as the boy ran away screaming. "Hod ai op, Lexa. (Hold me, Lexa)" Clarke raised her arms in the air and the brunette lifted her without hesitation, taking a calming breath.  _ Everytime I'm angry, she wants me to hold her… _

"She speaks Trig? How is that even possible? Only our kind speak it..." Anya interjected, now leaning on a nearby tree and narrowing her eyes.  _ You're already giving me shit about this, the last thing I need is you finding out is that I accidentally gave her my blood. _

"Not now, Anya." The brunette deflected, receiving an eye roll from her friend in return.

"You have mud on your suit jacket by the way, the brat is just... smearing it all over you." Anya grumbled and though it would normally bother the brunette, Clarke seemed happy.

"I'm a billionaire On, I can buy another one." Lexa replied calmly, smiling at the blonde's muddy hands and clothes. It did not seem to phase the girl, likely due to the brunette's presence. In the last two years, it became evident that Clarke Griffin was happiest with Lexa nearby. Though she would never admit it aloud, the brunette felt lighter in the girl's presence as well and was extremely over protective.  _ Afterall, I am assigning vampire bodyguards to a four year old and her best friend.  _

"So are you gonna tell me what this is really about, cos this is completely out of character for you Lex. Since when do you vamp out on a preschool kid?" Anya scanned the brunette closely and Lexa let out a deep breath, closing her eyes.

"She's Jake's daughter." The brunette shifted gaze to her friend and held her breath, waiting for the inevitable freak out.  _ Meet my soulmate and your future Queen... _

"As in, first female born in the Griffin line?" Anya pushed herself off the tree and scanned the four year old closely as the brunette nodded. "Holy shit!" The copper eyed vampire exclaimed and Clarke gave the woman a stern look, pointing her small fingers at her.

"Grumpy lady said a bad word, Lexa!!" The blonde informed her and seemed to want the brunette to do something about it.  _ Here we go... _

"I know Klark, she's sorry." Lexa replied and her friend looked at her like she had lost her mind. 

"The fuck I am!" Anya raised her voice and the brunette closed her eyes, knowing the child wouldn't let this go.  _ Clarke is incredibly stubborn and will throw a fit if you argue with her... _

"Uhn-uh, grumpy lady gets time out now!!" Clarke's expression was almost comical, certain that she would be obeyed and clearly unaffected by the fact she was scolding a vampire.  _ She knows what you are and isn't afraid of you because she knows I'll protect her. _

"Anya, perhaps you should go back to the car…" Lexa suggested, hoping to calm the situation and knowing how upset the blonde would be if Anya didn't comply.  _ I may have mistakenly told Clarke she's a princess and that we will rule our people together one day. I didn't realize it would make her so bossy... _

"Are you fucking serious?" Anya gave the brunette and the child in her arms an incredulous look. 

"Bad Anya! Go take timeout!" Clarke shouted and Anya sent the girl an evil glare in return, shaking her head. _ Please, don't argue or it will only upset Clarke further. _

"I don't take orders from you, kid!" The copper eyed vampire told her with a stern tone and Lexa closed her eyes in preparation for the backlash.  _ Melt down in 3, 2, 1... _

"Ai laik yu hainofi! Yu na spek yo daun gon ai! (I am your princess! You will bow before me!)" The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs and the brunette let out a sigh of frustration.  _ Now she's angry… thanks Anya! _

"Just go to the car, Anya!" Lexa ordered with an exasperated tone and ignored the dramatic eye roll from her friend while Clarke shot the copper eyed vampire a death glare.

"If I'm going to be taking orders from a four year old, you're giving me a raise, Lex. A  **big** one!!" Anya grumbled as she walked away and the brunette did not miss the triumphant smile on Clarke's face.  _ This should be interesting… she's already ordering vampires around and demanding loyalty. _

"Nou get yu daun, strik hainofi. (Don't worry, little princess.) Uncle Gustus and Uncle Lincoln will make sure the grumpy lady is nice to you." The massive man gave the blonde a big smile as he approached and she immediately opened her arms for him to hold her.  _ At least she likes the overgrown teddy bear… _

"Mochof, Gustus." Lexa passed the child to Gustus, noticing that Lincoln had moved to Raven's side and was helping her build something with blocks. Anya threw her arms in the air and got into the car, likely preparing one hell of an argument for the ride back. 

"Lincoln and I will take the first shift, Heda. The little princess and her friend will be safe with us." Gustus reassured her and the brunette nodded in agreement, flashing Clarke a smile.

"I must go now, Klark. Be good for Lincoln and Gustus, if you need anything tell them." Lexa told the blonde, who seemed happy with the arrangement and waved at the brunette.

"Okay, bye! C'mon, Gustus you can meet Rae and push us on the swing!! You look really strong and I want to go really high!" Clarke exclaimed happily and the massive vampire smiled widely.  _ Everyone else in the playground is staring at him like he's a serial killer and Clarke trusted him right away. Is it because he's with me and she knows I will protect her? _

"Sha, strik hainofi." Gustus set the girl down and followed behind the blonde, looking like he was enjoying himself.

  
  
  


*******************************************************

**July 20, 1999**

  
  


“Are we really doing this... now? In the middle of my birthday party??” Lexa shook her head in disbelief and paced angrily.  _ I cannot believe this… fucking Nia!!  _ Only moments before, the seven year old Prince of Azgeda received a black eye at the hands of a certain blonde five year old and all hell broke loose. Every vampire that knew the prophecy went into a rage when Nia demanded Clarke be tied to a tree and whipped. Anya threatened to kill Roan for making the girl upset and Gustus swore to rip the throat out of anyone that looked at Clarke the wrong way. Then Lexa tossed the queen across the ballroom when Nia suggested she would punish the child herself and then demanded that Azgeda swore fealty to the blonde.  _ Not smart, reacting so emotionally in front of a who's who collection of vampires and witches. Nevermind my girlfriend, who had no idea that Clarke was more than just the daughter of a friend. _

"Don't act like this is a surprise, Lexa! You haven't been fully invested in this relationship for years and now I finally know why!! I just had to hear the truth from people I barely know because you didn’t have the balls to tell me yourself!!” Costia was fuming and the brunette really couldn't blame her, she just didn't expect this to happen for a while. _ I knew I should have waited to meet Clarke. _

“Do you have any idea how silly this is? It's not like I'm cheating on you!!” Lexa argued, while watching her girlfriend shove clothes in a bag unceremoniously with a face red with rage.

“When did you plan on telling me Lexa? Were you planning to string me along for a couple decades while you wait for your soulmate to grow up? Did you only keep me around for the sex?" Costia's brown eyes were swimming with tears and it broke the brunette's heart to witness her girlfriend's suffering.  _ Of course she's upset, I just didn't see the point in discussing something that wouldn't happen for two decades. Not like Clarke and I can be a couple yet, she still plays with dolls for fucks sake. _

"It's not like that Cos, I love you and you know it! Do you think I want this, the prophecy of a long dead witch to dictate who I spend eternity with?" Lexa was sounding desperate, though she wasn't certain if it was an impulse or if she truly wanted Costia to stay.  _ I've been dealing with this mess for five years and I still don't know how I feel about all of it. _

"Do you love  **her** ?" Those watery brown eyes met her green and Lexa froze, shutting her eyes.  _ Yes, but not in the way you think... _

"Klark is a child...' The brunette retorted and Costia placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a serious look.

"I'm not asking if you're  **in** love with her, Lex! I just need to know if you love Clarke… even platonically. Is there a part of you that loves her?" Costia knew exactly what she was doing, painting the brunette into a box and Lexa knew nothing she said would be right.  _ At least she doesn't know I assigned her vampire bodyguards... _

"This is ridiculous!!" The brunette blatantly avoided answering the question, uncertain how to explain her feelings.  _ I don't completely understand what I'm feeling... I want her to be happy and safe, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm in love.  _

"What's her favorite color?" Costia asked and the brunette miscalculated her intent.

"Green, not dark green... a lighter shade, like my eyes." Lexa replied without hesitation and immediately regretted it, when she met Costia's eyes.  _ Well, shit! Good one, Lexa! _

"Of course it is… she's fucking perfect for you, Lex." Costia stomped to the bathroom angrily, throwing her arms in the air and returned with her toiletries.

"Costia, it doesn't have to be like this…" Lexa was begging at this point, maintaining a five year relationship with a human was not common and the brunette did love Costia.  _ Now one human is breaking up with me over another human too young to be in any kind of relationship. Every vampire on the planet answers to me, I'm stuck in a love triangle with a human child and adult. _

"Really? There's an entire room full of vampires downstairs ready to bow down to a five year old and swear fealty to their future Queen!!" Costia shouted and the brunette closed her eyes, realizing she was correct.  _ Fucking Nia, she did this in purpose! Telling Roan to put Clarke in her place for bossing her superior around and then going into dramatics when she punched him.  _

"That doesn't mean you have to leave, I have no interest in pursuing a relationship with Klark until she is much older. You've met her countless times and until tonight, you've enjoyed her company. Why can't we just…" Lexa stopped when Costia zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder.

"You can't stay with me now that the entire coalition knows who she is. You're right, Clarke is a great kid… smart, caring and talented. I wish you both an eternity full of love and happiness… I really do. Just… don't make the same mistake twice, don't lead a girl on when you have a Queen waiting in the wings. Goodbye, Lexa." Costia turned and exited the bedroom in haste, the brunette knew there was no sense in following her. Lexa knew that Jake and Abby would bring Clarke to the party, she just didn't expect Nia to purposely stir the shit pot. Every Ambassador and high ranking official of the coalition had been aware of the prophecy. Many encouraged Lexa to move the Griffins into her mansion now that Clarke's destiny was officially announced. They wanted to prepare the child, train her for her future position as Queen of the Coalition and the brunette refused.  _ She needs to live a human life first.  _ The brunette took a seat on the plush couch in the room and buried her face in her hands.  _ Fate hasn't bothered asking my opinion on any of this shit. _

"You look really pretty, Lexa!" A small voice caught the brunette's attention and she lifted her head to find those big blue eyes looking up at her with a smile.  _ She's a child… a child that seems determined to be a part of my life. How did she even manage to find her way to my room?  _

"Mochof, ai hainofi. You look pretty tonight as well." Lexa replied with a smile, feeling almost instantly better in the blonde's presence and there was no denying the connection she felt with the girl.  _ She feels my emotions, like I feel hers and she likely wants to comfort me. I pay the guards a ton of money to keep the guests downstairs and a five year old undermines it.  _

"Not as pretty as you…" Clarke grinned as she crawled on the couch and took the brunette’s hand. _ Granted she probably told them she was their princess and they gave in. Even Anya obeys her without question lately... _

"Well, I am much older than you, Klark. I am certain that once you grow up, your beauty will far surpass mine." Lexa gave the girl a kind smile and the blonde had that look on her face she got when she was trying to solve a puzzle.  _ Clarke does like solving problems... _

"Daddy says you're his boss and you own lots of stuff, is that true?" Clarke scrunched her eyebrows together and look to the brunette for an answer, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it is… but I am also your father's friend." Lexa replied and smiled as the blonde seemed to think hard for a moment.

"You're  **my** friend too, right?" Clarke asked and Lexa chuckled as she nodded in affirmation.

"Sha, ai hainofi." The brunette replied and the blonde seemed to approve of her response, shooting the adult a smile.

"You won't let the bad Queen and mean prince hurt me, right?" Clarke shot Lexa a questioning look and the brunette shook her head, angry that Nia's threats had sunk in.  _ Nia threatened to whip Clarke, I must see to it that none attempt to follow in her footsteps. _

"I will never allow  **anyone** to harm you, Klark. Nia will continue to play mind games because you are meant to rule over her, not submit to her. She will eventually have no choice but to bow before you and swear fealty, regardless of how she feels about you." Lexa answered with a reassuring smile and the blonde's face lit up with a bright smile.

"When I grow up, I want to be as pretty and smart as you, Lexa." Clarke's response made the brunette blush, though she berated herself for caring what a five year old thought.

"You truly flatter me, Klark." Lexa replied with a smile and turned her gaze to the bedroom door at the sound of footsteps.

"Clarke, sweetheart what did tell you about wandering off… Oh, Lexa… I am so sorry, I hope she wasn't bothering you." Abby's eyes were filled with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. It had definitely been a stressful night for all, what with the threats of violence and division over her daughter's place in the Coalition.  _ Abby is probably regretting coming to the party and wondering what the hell happened. _

"Not at all, Abby. I hope you and Jacob are enjoying the party." Lexa replied and then lectured herself about thinking before speaking.  _ There was nearly a brawl over her daughter and I'm asking if she's enjoying the party? _

"We are, thank you. You have a very lovely home…" Abby offered, only to be cut off by an excited five year old.

"It's HUGE!! I wanna live here when I grow up!! Can I, Lexa??" Clarke exclaimed and gave Lexa a look that suggested the blonde was well aware of the fact that the brunette could never say no to her.

"Sha, ai hainofi." Lexa nodded with a smile, noticing the scrutiny Abby had in her face watching the interaction.

"Can I pick my room?? Princesses are supposed to have the biggest room and I want one like yours!!" Clarke gave the brunette a hopeful smile and her mother cleared her throat, giving the blonde a stern look.

"Clarke honey, don't be rude..." Abby interjected and met Lexa's eyes, who simply shrugged.

"I don't mind, Abby. Would you like me to give you a tour, Klark? There are several rooms I believe you will approve of." The brunette offered, eager to please the child and the blonde hopped with excitement.

"Yes, please!" Clarke hopped off the couch and raised her left hand in the air for Lexa to hold, bringing a smile to her face. The brunette allowed the child to pull her behind her, walking around like she owned the place. 

"How are things at the clinic, doctor?" Lexa offered as Clarke inspected the room and the doctor gave her a smile. 

"Excellent, actually. We were struggling to keep up with the number of patients **, severely** understaffed and barely able to keep medicine in supply. We were bankrupt, quite frankly… my dream of free healthcare didn't include finances." The doctor stopped and scanned the brunette closely before she gave Lexa a knowing smirk.  _ Shit, she knows…  _ "Then we got an unbelievable contract with a pharmaceutical company allowing us to offer exactly that. All medicine, medical care and after care is free for all patients. Our wages were increased substantially, they even bought us state of the art equipment. Thank you, Lexa. I know you'll deny it but it's just so… you." Abby finished with a challenging look and Lexa smiled softly, knowing she'd been caught red-handed.  _ I wanted to help. _

"No need to thank me, I have far more money than I need. It is an honor to use it for a worthy cause, rather than a frivolous vacation." Lexa replied and smiled watching the five year old running happily through the mansion's upper floors.

"Look, momma! Lexa has swords and stuff!! He looks like a knight!! That mask is scary… I don't like it. Ohh… look!!" Clarke was very obviously in love with the armory as she ran around pointing at everything enthusiastically. "Lexa, will you teach me how to use a sword? Beja???" The blonde tugged on the brunette's green satin dress and looked up at a very proud smile.

"Sha, ai hainofi." 

"Jake told me… all of it." Abby interjected and the vampire took a big gulp.  _ Shit! Yet another confrontation… I was actually feeling better about the birthday break up. _

"Abby, I…" Lexa shook her head and turned to face the doctor, only to be cut off.  _ How do I explain this?? I saved a witch's life a millennia ago and she bonded me to your daughter as a thank you… nope! _

"It's a lot to handle. A shit ton, actually… A part of me wants to hate you, but you are the reason she's alive. Clarke never would have been born if not for you. Not just her… Jake, his father and so on. Then you threw yourself in front of her without hesitation and she trusted you right away, which she never does." Abby shook her head in disbelief and the brunette let out a sigh.

"I never asked for, nor wanted this, Abby."

"I know. I also know that you do care about Clarke, you've made that very clear. You were always very generous with Jake and now even more so since the accident. However as her mother, I am begging you to give her time. Let her grow up and experience life as a human before…" Abby was cut off by a very demanding five year old.

"LEXA!!!" The blonde's voice instantly caught her attention and she found the girl pouting, tugging on her hand.

"Sha, Klark?" Lexa crumpled her eyebrows in concern, wondering what was wrong with her.  _ Why does she look so upset?? _

"You're  **supposed** to be giving me a tour of your mansion so I can choose which room I want!!" Clarke demanded with hands on her hips and the brunette took a deep breath, then smiled.

"Mafta ai op, hainofi. (Follow me, my Princess)" Lexa answered and did not miss the look on Abby's face as a fifteen hundred year old vampire obeyed a five year old without hesitation.

"Oh, honey… you are in so much trouble." Abby mumbled once they left the room, though not low enough to be unheard by Lexa's enhanced senses.

  
  


*******************************************************


	2. The Explosive Child

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kind comments and kudos. I really appreciate it 😊 Hope you enjoy.

**September 1, 1999**

  
  
  
  


"I get being proud of your kid, but upscale kindergartens that parents have to sign their children up for before they are even born? Ridiculous." Anya grumbled and rolled her eyes at the sight of dozens of black SUV's surrounding the school. Polis Academy, the most upscale K-12 on the planet originally meant for non-humans. Twenty years ago, some random humans asked why  **they** couldn't send  **their** child here too. Vampires and witches couldn't draw too much attention, so they welcomed the ultra rich humans. Many nonhumans argued that it was unsafe, others believed it would help teach their children to ' _ blend in' _ in the human world. They relied on Skaikru to maintain the peace and keep any witch or vampire stories from leaving the campus. 

"My only schooling was getting my head beat in everyday by my fos until I was strong enough to fight back. It made sense a thousand years ago, but now a days if you don't know technology, you can't get by. Polis Academy has several programs that prepare students for a future at any number of Ivy league schools. I think MIT would be perfect for Raven, have you seen the models she puts together? There's also a visual and performing arts program that I think Klark will love! The picture she drew of you was flawless!" Gustus ended with a chuckle, only causing Anya to grumble. Clarke drew a picture of a grumpy vampire getting a hug from a blonde child. The horrific attempt at writing said ' _ Smile Anya' _ .  _ As if! I'm a vampire and vampires don't smile, we slaughter our enemies!!! _

"Shof op, Gustus! (Shut up) No one asked you!" The copper eyed vampire rolled her eyes, thinking of how ridiculous this job was.  _ Protecting tiny bratty humans... unbelievable. Speaking of said Princess, here she comes…  _ The blonde and her friend exited the school with a complete entourage of children following her, not that it surprised Anya. The two vampires focused their senses on Clarke and Raven while they spoke to the other children.

"Is that your dad? He looks big and scary." A young female witch asked, gesturing at the large tattooed man waiting to take Clarke home. 

"That's Aurora kom Skaikru's daughter Octavia, her brother Bellamy is over there with Prince Roan." Gustus whispered. Skaikru, led by Jake Griffin, were the only witches in the Coalition and many clans looked down on them. Unlike the vampires, very few witches we're rich and many, like Nia thought they were paupers. _ Shame she got Lexa's blood so soon, Clarke would've made one hell of a witch… especially since she's a Griffin. _

"That's Gustus and he's not scary at all, he's a big teddy bear. Anya's the scary one, but she has to do what I tell her to do...no matter what. I can make her carry all our stuff, if I want." Clarke threw a wink at her bodyguards, knowing they could hear her and Gustus burst in laughter as Anya growled, rolling her eyes.  _ Such a brat! _

"If he's not your dad, why is he here?" A boy with brown hair asked and the Reyes girl smiled.

"He's protecting us. Clarke's a princess." Raven answered proudly, only to receive a stern look from the blonde. 

"Raven! You're not supposed to tell!" Clarke scolded her and the boy scrunched his eyebrows together.

"What are you princess of?" The copper eyed vampire could smell from here that the boy was a witch and yet obviously didn't know who he was talking to.  _ How does he not? The witches all answer to Jake... _

"The world." Clarke replied looking proud of herself and all of her friends seemed impressed, minus the one boy. _ You gotta be kidding me… princess of the fucking world? I guarantee that Lexa filled her head with that bullshit. _

"You're not princess of the world!" The boy argued and Anya rolled her eyes, stepping away from the car.  _ Here we go… that kid better not start shit or Princess Clarke will lose hers. _

"Yes I am! Everybody has to listen to me, even you!" The blonde demanded, beginning to look angry and both of her vampire bodyguards tensed up for a fight. It was silly really, they were at a school after all but Clarke had a way of finding trouble. The blonde was absolutely certain that no one and nothing could harm her.  _ This is why Lexa gave us this job, the kid doesn't know when to back down. It'll be great for when she's a Vampire Queen, but as five year old, it's just stupid. _

"That's a lie! You're not a real princess, you're just bossy." The boy shouted, getting in the blonde's face and Clarke did not back down...at all.  _ Careful tiny human, there are other vampires and witches here that would gladly kick your ass to protect their future Queen.  _

"Oh shit, here we go…" Anya grumbled as she moved forward, taking in the few dozens of non humans that were taking an interest in how this played out. 

"You better be nice to me, or Le..." Clarke shouted back and the idiot boy just had to shove her, causing a surge of vampire children and adults to step forward.  _ Dammit, Lexa will never forgive me if Clarke gets caught in a clan war on the first day of kindergarten!! _

"You're a liar and a fake Princess!" The boy screamed and the blonde's friend shoved the boy backwards.

"She is not! You're mean and you're picking on her!" Raven shouted with authority and Gustus stood directly behind the boy, ready to intervene.

"Yu gaf ai sis yu au, ai hainofi? (You need my help?)" Gustus offered, with Anya only a foot behind him and the other vampires inched closer as well.

"Ai nou fir raun kom em. Chil yu daun. (I'm not scared of him. Stand down.)" Clarke ordered, causing her bodyguards and the other vampires present to stop in their tracks.  _ Damn, kid… they all obeyed you, even Azgeda. _

"Mr. Kane!!! Clarke told the scary man to hurt me in a funny language!" Finn shouted at the principal, who moved to see what was happening and Gustus stepped in front of him to block him.

"We can handle it Marcus, just keep the humans away in case there's a fight." Gustus offered the witch quietly and Kane nodded in understanding, then headed towards the humans.

"Clarke didn't say that!! You're just a bully, Finn!" Octavia argued and looked to her brother who was walking towards them with Roan. 

"Hey! Leave her alone, Finn!" Bellamy interjected as he and the Azgeda Prince stood on either side of the blonde.

"Yu ste klir, hainofi. (You're safe, princess)" Roan whispered to Clarke as Bellamy got in Finn's face.  _ Okay, what's Nia's little brat playing at… isn't he the one she punched? _

"No one asked you, Bellamy!" Finn shoved Bellamy backwards and Roan grabbed him by the shirt, with black eyes.

"If you don't stop bothering Clarke, my mother will make you pay!" Roan gestured to Queen Nia, who was across the street surrounded by bodyguards and watching the entire interaction very closely.  _ That bitch probably instigated this shit! Hundred bucks says she's using this to test who's loyal to Clarke at the school. _

"I'm not scared of her!" Finn barked and it looked like Roan might attack him, only to be stopped by the Ice Queen herself.

"Then you are very unwise, boy. I have a dungeon set aside especially for disrespectful little boys that do not know their place. If Roan tells me that you have been bothering Princess Clarke, I will make you a permanent resident there." Nia interjected, standing next to her son in a flash and cast an evil glare at Finn. 

"I'm telling my dad!"

"By all means do. I would very much like to discuss Mr. Collins' employment or lack thereof if he does not teach you manners." Nia replied coldly, giving the boy an evil grin.  _ What a bitch! _

"See ya around, Princess." Finn gave the blonde a smirk and walked away.  _ Finn Collins, definitely keeping an eye on him.  _ Queen Nia gave the blonde a low, dramatic bow and did her best at giving Clarke a smile.  _ What the fuck??? _

"Princess Clarke, I assure you that I will not allow such behavior to continue. If anyone bothers you or is disrespectful, you must tell Roan immediately so I can protect you." Nia was laying it on thick and if it weren't for the crowd, Anya would be the first to tell her to back off. As it was, the majority of the vampires present were Azgeda and it would be a bloodbath if they weren't careful.

"You said you were gonna hurt me, I don't like you!" Clarke argued and the collection of vampires present held their breath as Nia's nostrils flared.  _ Fuck! How do I explain this to Heda? Your stubborn ass soulmate decided to piss off the Ice Queen, resulting in her horrible death.  _

"A terrible misunderstanding, I'm afraid. I was only trying to protect Roan, like I protected you just now. I truly hope that we can put that nasty business aside and become friends, you are to be my Queen afterall." Nia responded carefully and gritted her teeth, it obviously took all of her self control not to attack the blonde.

"You're a bad vampire! I'll never be your friend, now go away!!" Clarke gave the woman a murderous glare, as Anya and Gustus prepared to attack the dozen Azgedakru vampires present. _ I can't believe this…  _

"How dare you speak to me in that tone!" Nia's eyes turned black and her fangs dropped as she glared down at the blonde. Anya and Gustus balled their fists, standing in front of Clarke protectively.  _ Shit shit shit! _

"Ai laik yu hainofi! Gon we nau, daun laik hedon! (I am your Princess! Go away, that's an order)" Clarke screamed at the top of her lungs and everyone present took a big gulp. _Yep..._ _I'm going to die protecting a bossy five year old..._

"The Princess gave you an order, Azplana!" Anya growled, then Nia turned on her heel and stomped to the car in a fury.  _ Phew, that was close. Someone has to teach this kid how dangerous it is to talk back to vampires. _

"Yu ste yuj, Klark kom Skaikru. Ai shil yu op, ai hainofi, ai swega em klin. (You're strong. I will protect you, my Princess, I swear it.)" Roan promised with a wide smile and extended his hand to shake.

"Mochof, Roan. (Thank you) Just don't be mean or we aren't friends." Clarke shook his hand and Nia shot them both a death glare. Anya couldn't help but smile proudly, afterall the five year old just stood up to a thousand year old vampire feared by half the Coalition.  _ Lexa's gonna totally freak when I tell her… I can hear it now. _

"Sha, ai hainofi. See ya, Bell." Roan gave the blonde a bow and headed towards his mother, who looked like her head might explode. 

"Don't worry, Princess. We may not have fangs, but we'll protect you. C'mon, O let's walk home." Bellamy gave the blonde a smile and his sister waved goodbye before Clarke stopped them.

"Do you want ice cream? Anya will buy anything you want and take you home too." The blonde offered and the two children looked at the copper eyed vampire with hopeful smiles.  _ Wait… what? _

"I'll do what?" Anya looked at the blonde in surprise.  _ She better be joking!  _

"Buy me and my friends ice cream, then take us shopping." Clarke replied with a wide smile and the female vampire shook her head in disbelief.

"The fuck I will! I get paid to babysit you and Raven, Hainofi. Not your bratty friends." Anya replied angrily and glared down at the blonde. _ We nearly had a battle in front of a kindergarten because you have a big mouth and now you want ice cream? _

"You will or I'll tell Lexa you said a bad word!" Clarke said with a shit eating grin on her face, causing Anya to ball her fists.  _ That's it!! _

"You ungrateful little sh…"

"Anya and I will be happy to buy your friends whatever they want, won't we?" Gustus cut her off and gave the blonde a big smile as Anya threw her hands in the air.

"C'mon, guys… Rae and I have a whole limo just for us!!" Clarke flashed her friends a triumphant smile and led them to the car.  _ I hate Lexa for giving me this job!!! _

  
  
  
  


***********************************************************

  
  


**October 24, 2001**

  
  
  


"Anya, I thought you'd be helping set up for Klark's birthday party…" Lexa said as Anya entered her office looking furious and shot a questioning glance at Jake.  _ Now what? _

"Her Royal Bossiness screamed at the top of her lungs until I brought her to see you, Heda." Anya grumbled, rolling her eyes dramatically and Jake let out a sigh.  _ Dammit, why must Clarke be so stubborn? _

"I'm so sorry, Anya. I'll talk to her about it before the party… again." Jake grumbled as Anya shook her head and opened the door for the child to enter.

"Happy birthday, ai hainofi..." Lexa offered with a big smile and the blonde seven year old put her hands on hips, glaring at the brunette angrily.  _ Oh shit, what did Anya say to Clarke now? _

"I won't do it, Lexa!!!" Clarke demanded and the brunette crumpled her brow in confusion.

"Won't do what, ai hainofi?" Lexa asked, getting a stern look from the blonde in response.

"Be Anya's seken, she's too grumpy and I won't do it!!!" Clarke insisted and the brunette's heart sunk.  _ I thought she'd be happy to learn how to fight… She has to learn how to protect herself, since my blood made her incapable of using magic. Especially with her need to boss vampires around like she's invincible... _

"Clarke, honey we talked about this…" Jake interjected and the seven year old's face turned red with rage.

"I WON'T DO IT!!!" The blonde seven year old shouted and the brunette knelt down in front of the child with a sigh.  _ Wonderful, now what do I do? _

"Klark, being Anya's seken is a great honor. She is one of our finest warriors…" Lexa attempted to convince her, but it was clear that the blonde wasn't having it as she shook her head defiantly.

"Anya's mean and talks back when I tell her to do stuff!" Clarke argued and Jake gave his daughter a stern look.

"Clarke, Anya is an adult and if she tells you to do something…" The male witch started and the brunette's eyes went wide when the seven year old shot her father a death glare.  _ This won't end well... _

"Ai laik hainofi!!! I don't listen to Anya, she listens to me!!" Clarke shouted at him with a red face and Lexa let out a deep sigh.

"Alright, Klark… I will find someone else to train you… perhaps Lincoln or Gustus." The brunette suggested and the girl's father shook his head.

"No you won't, Lex. Clarke needs to learn to respect her elders, that's why I wanted her to train in the first place and  **you** need to learn to tell her  **no** ." Jake replied giving both the seven year old and fifteen hundred year old a glare, causing the brunette to nod in agreement.

"Very well, you heard your father, ai hainofi." Lexa offered with an exasperated tone and the girl balled her fists.

"NO NO NO!!" Clarke stomped her foot and screamed so loudly, Lexa was certain the guards would rush in to see what happened.

"Jake, perhaps we can…" The brunette vampire, shot him a desperate look and Jake shook his head.  _ Please, it will make Clarke happy and she's clearly not going to change her mind. _

"No, Lex! Clarke, you will be Anya's seken and that's the end of discussion." The witch argued, only to be cut off by his seven year old daughter and Lexa closed her eyes.  _ This is not going to go over well... _

"You're not in charge of me, daddy! Lexa said I'm a princess!" Clarke gave her father a challenging glare and the brunette pinched the bridge of her nose to fight the oncoming headache.  _ Jake's right, I need to learn to tell her no... _

"Klark kom Skaikru, you will obey your father, regardless of who you are until you are an adult. If you want to be Queen, you must train and learn some restraint. Anya trained me when I was your age and is the best warrior I have, that's why I chose her for you. I know you don't like this, but it is necessary for you to become Queen one day." Lexa replied with a calm tone and kind smile, hoping to calm the situation. 

"Fine, I want a pony!" Clarke crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave the brunette a confident look, knowing full well that Lexa would agree. 

"Clarke Abigail Griffin!!" Jake was shouting now, looking at Clarke like she had murdered someone and Lexa just wanted this over with. _ My soulmate is so spoiled and I'm responsible for it. _

"Okay, Klark. I will buy you a pony if you promise to be Anya's seken and  **obey her without question** from now on. Is that fair?" Lexa interjected, only to receive a look of utter shock from Anya and Jake. 

"Lex!" Jake protested, only for the brunette to raise her hand to cut him off and the blonde nodded in agreement. _ Please, just let it go. If this makes her happy, it will be worth it. _

"Sha, Heda." Clarke answered with a triumphant smile while Anya and Jake shook their heads in disbelief.  _ Would you rather listen to her scream? _

"Mafta ai op, ai seken. Don't forget your backpacki, you get to carry your own things from now on." Anya dropped Clarke's bag on the ground and smirked as the blonde opened her mouth to object, then changed her mind after looking at Lexa.

"Sha, Seda." Clarke grumbled and grabbed her belongings, then followed the copper eyed vampire out of the office.

"A fucking pony, Lex?" Jake shook his head and Lexa buried her face in her hands with embarrassment.  _ Why can't I say no to her??? _

"I know… I can't help it. I'll have lessons arranged for her and email you the schedule." Lexa replied with a defeated tone and Jake chuckled. 

"The most powerful vampire in the planet bows down to my seven year old. Never thought I'd see the day. You coming to the party?" Jake laughed, shaking his head in amusement.

"No, my flight leaves in two hours and still I need to pack." The brunette sighed and the male witch shot her a smirk.

"I suppose it's for the best, that way Clarke can't talk you into buying her a second pony. I'll see you Monday, maybe read the book Abby gave you on the plane." Jake offered with a mischievous smile and then waved as he exited her office. The brunette vampire shook her head, walked to her desk and pulled the book out of her drawer.  _ The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Ross W. Green. Guess I should finally read it... _

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every girl wants a pony, right? 😁


	3. I Don't Want Puberty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and all the kind comments and kudos! Hope you enjoy.

**October 24, 2003**

  
  
  


"What's the matter princess, scared mommy and daddy will take your pony away for fighting at school?" Finn sneered at the blonde, who was rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease the headache. Clarke was having a terrible birthday, in fact probably the worst birthday ever. Jake was in New York on a business trip and Abby had to work a double at the hospital. The blonde felt grumpy from the moment she woke up and had a horrible headache. The breakfast her mom cooked for her made her sick, but Dr. Mom refused to let Clarke skip school.  _ No fever, no absence.  _ Then, the rest of her class went on a field trip while she and Finn served detention for getting into a fight.  _ Happy ninth birthday, Clarke. _

"Leave me alone, Finn!" Clarke grumbled, closing her eyes tight and willing the nausea to go away.  _ Even vampires go away when I tell them to… why won't this headache? _

"Or what, you'll sick your vampire boyfriend on me?" Finn replied and tossed a balled up piece of paper at her, hitting the back of her head.  _ Don't react violently… that's how you got stuck here to begin with. _

"Roan's not my boyfriend, now leave me alone!" Clarke stayed still, determined to ignore his taunts and failing. _ He's trying to aggravate me... _

"Poor little scared princess has no one to stick up for her." Finn was talking like a baby now, just to piss her off and it felt like her blood was boiling. _ If I kick his ass, I'll just get in more trouble with Kane and Anya will yell at me. _

"Stop it, Finn. I don't want to hurt you." Clarke gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to attack him and her ears filled with a loud thumping sound.  _ What is that sound?? _

_ Thump thump thump thump  _

"Ha! Like you could, you're just a spoiled baby without your bodyguards, princess." Finn scoffed and it was all it took to make the blonde snap.

_ Thump thump thump thump  _

"STOP IT!" Clarke screamed at the top of her lungs as she stood up and glared at the boy, who gave her a wicked smirk. The blonde's mouth filled with saliva as the sound drew her in.

_ Thump thump thump thump  _

"Or what? Your friends are on a field trip and your bodyguards don't show up until after school. Go ahead Princess, gimme your best… ahhhh!!" Finn screamed as he flew across the room and the blonde was on him the second he hit the ground with black eyes. 

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" Clarke shouted, before sinking her fangs into his neck and held him in place as he flailed around, screaming for help. The blonde never felt like this before, the thumping sound was calling to her, pulling her in. 

"What is going on here, you are supposed to be studying… oh my god! Clarke, stop it! HELP, we need some help!!" Kane rushed behind the girl and reached out to grab her, only to be thrown backwards into a wall. 

"Mr. Kane what on earth are you screaming about…" Queen Nia asked as she entered the room and in a flash, lifted the blonde off Finn. 

"Her eyes… I don't understand… she isn't a…" Kane looked at the blonde in horror but all she could focus on was the sound calling to her.

_ Thump thump thump thump _

"Take the boy and leave before she attacks you, GO! Only my kind are allowed on this side of the school, do you understand?" Nia shouted as Clarke tried hard to get free of her grip and screamed.  _ I want more!!! _

_ Thump thump thump thump _

"Let me go! Let me go!" The blonde screamed and flailed around, yet was no match for the vampire's firm hold on her.  _ More, more, more! _

_ Thump thump thump thump _

"What the hell is going on here? Oh god, we need an ambulance!" Mr. Pike entered and the thumping sound became unbearable, causing her to let out a shrill scream.

_ Thump thump thump thump _

" **Do not** call 911, call Heda and have Abby Griffin brought to the school immediately. We don't need any unwanted attention and she is a doctor. Now leave!" Nia ordered, unphased by the blonde's screams and Kane picked up Finn, then headed towards the door.

_ Thump thump thump thump _

"Let's go Charles. Nia can handle this better than we can." Kane told the teacher and Pike followed him out, without question. As soon as they left, Azplana knelt down and set Clarke in front of her, cupping her face with her hands.

"Clarke, look at me child…take deep breaths through your mouth, not your nose. That's good, big breaths… That's it, just focus on breathing." Nia's voice was kinder than Clarke had ever heard from the Ice Queen before and the blonde realized that the thumping had finally ceased.  _ Thank God… what was that sound? _

"Klark! Get away the fuck away from her, bitch!" Lexa flashed into the room with a wave of air in her wake and held the Ice Queen in the air by her throat.

"It's not her blood, it's the Collins boy's. Clarke is safe, just a little rattled. I was not aware that she had been turned, Heda." Nia replied calmly and the blonde burst into tears at the realization of what she had done, causing the brunette to drop Azplana.  _ Oh my god, I killed Finn and hurt Mr. Kane!!  _

"She hasn't! It's okay, Klark.You're safe." Lexa replied and pulled the blonde into a hug, rubbing soothing circles on her back. _ Why would I do that? What's wrong with me? _

"I think Mr. Kane and Collins boy would disagree with you." Nia offered, causing the blonde to sob uncontrollably.  _ He's dead… I'm a murderer!! _

"Ai don frag em op! (I killed him!)" Clarke exclaimed between sobs and surprisingly, Nia knelt down to console her as well.

"Shh, Klark… yu ste klir. (You're safe.)" Lexa whispered and held her as the Ice Queen gently stroked the girl's hair.

"Chil yu daun, ai hainofi. Blou yu au, lagen. (Calm down, my princess. Breathe, slowly.)" Nia said with a soothing tone that the blonde would not have thought was possible before now.  _ Why is she being so nice to me? I'm a murderer, I don't deserve it... _

"I bit him, Lexa! I got so mad… I couldn't help it and now he's dead! I'm a murderer! They're gonna arrest me and..." Clarke pulled back from the hug to meet Lexa's eyes as she spoke and the brunette shook her head.  _ Oh god, I'm gonna be in prison for the rest of my life... _

"The boy is still alive Klark, I promise. If he were dead, Nia and I would know." Lexa's voice was calm as she spoke and the blonde gave her a confused look.  _ You can't know that, he isn't here... _

"How?" 

"Our kind can smell death, child. I'm certain Lexa will have Anya teach you once things are more settled. For now, continue to breathe through your mouth to fight off the urge. Heda, I'm going to make certain the humans forget this ever happened. I'll have one my guards will bring blood, so you can get her to your car without incident." The Ice Queen explained and then stood up, looking down on them with a kind smile. _ Am I dreaming right now? _

"Thank you, Nia." Lexa smiled up at her and Clarke couldn't help but wonder how strange it was.  _ They hate each other but they're being nice, weird nice.  _

"No need to thank me, Heda. Despite our differences, we both believe that it is our duty to protect our people. Clarke is one of us now and I swear to protect her anyway that I can." Nia replied and then flashed out of the classroom, leaving a very confused blonde behind.  _ I'm a psycho killer and they're gonna cover it up so I don't get arrested.  _

"I don't understand… why did I do that? I kept hearing this sound and it didn't stop until they left. I don't feel right, what's happening to me?" Clarke's tears were streaming again and Lexa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"This is because of me, if you had been an adult, my blood would have only healed you. I had Titus check the records after the accident, but he couldn't find any confirmed cases of children being healed with vampire blood. I think that because you were so young, it..." Lexa trailed off and gave the blonde a grief stricken look.

"Turned me into a vampire..." Clarke finished the brunette's thought with a defeated tone and gulped.  _ I'm a monster... _

"Sha, ai hainofi. I am so so sorry, I never intended for this to happen." Lexa nodded and turned her head towards the door just as one of Nia's guards appeared.

"Heda, this is for Klark kom Skaikru." The large man handed the blonde a bag of blood and Clarke looked at it in disgust.

"Ew, I am  **not** drinking that!" The blonde shook her head defiantly and Lexa gave her a kind smile.

"You must Klark, or we will be stuck in this room until they clear the entire school of humans." The brunette insisted in her calm tone and the blonde rolled her eyes.  _ I'm probably gonna barf... _

"Fine." Clarke grumbled and the brunette popped off an end that looked almost like a straw. The blonde took a moment to stare at it before finally giving in and gulping it down in less than a minute.  _ Okay, so it doesn't taste gross at all… Wait, if I'm a vampire…  _ "Does this mean I won't grow up?" Clarke asked with wide eyes and Lexa smiled, shaking her head.

"You will grow up like every other vampire your age, the blood thirst starts at puberty and that's what happened to you today. This is my fault Klark, I should have expected this and prepared you for it." The brunette explained and Clarke shook her head in disbelief.  _ This isn't happening… puberty means turning into an adult and dealing with grown up stuff. Oh god, now I'll have to get a job!! _

"I don't want puberty! I just want it the way it was before and not have to get used to blood!!!" The blonde demanded and Lexa smiled widely in response, shaking her head in amusement.

"Even human girls have to get used to blood at your age, Klark." The brunette assured her and Clarke crumpled her eyebrows in confusion.  _ What's that supposed to mean? _

"Why?"

"Klark! What happened? Did that little prick hurt you?! I'll kick his ass if he did!" Anya flashed into the room and knelt down, checking her seken for injuries.  _ Yeah, yeah I know you care... even if you're grumpy about it. _

"I'm a fucking vampire now." Clarke grumbled, rolling her eyes and waving the drained bag of blood in the air.  _ My life is over… no more playing and having fun, just boring stuff... _

"Language, ai seken!" Anya gave her a stern look and the blonde laughed as her fos looked at Lexa. "Is this because of your blood?" The copper eyed vampire asked and the brunette nodded solemnly.

"This is the worst birthday ever." Clarke pouted and let out a sigh of frustration.  _ At least Roan's a vampire too… I'm gonna have to ask him about this puberty crap. Is it different for boys? Guess I shouldn't have slept through health class... _

"Let's change that." Lexa stood up with a smile and offered her hand to the blonde, then lifted her onto her feet.  _ Nothing will make me feel better, but thanks for trying. _

"I don't feel like a party…" Clarke sighed.  _ What's the point? Happy birthday Clarke, now have some blood... _

"How about being spoiled rotten by a billionaire vampire?" Lexa raised an eyebrow and gave the blonde a smirk, causing her face to light up.

"Why the fuck not?" The blonde shrugged, only to get an elbow in the ribs from her fos.

"Language, ai seken!" Anya raised her voice and Clarke gave her a challenging glare. 

"I'm a  **vampire** now and if I'm old enough to kill someone, I'm old enough to cuss." The blonde argued and her fos shook her head with a stern look.

"That's a big fucking no-go, ai seken!" Anya pointed her finger at the blonde, only to be stopped by a commanding voice.  _ Knew it! Lexa always takes my side!!! _

"Em pleni, Anya. (Enough.) Klark may utilize whatever curses she wants in our presence, with the exception of home and school. Now, where do you want to go first, ai hainofi?" Lexa gave her a wide smile and the blonde chewed her bottom lip thinking about her options as they walked slowly to the car. 

"I don't want to be around people…" Clarke answered, noticing that the hallways and school grounds seemed empty along the way.  _ That's weird...do they have some kind of emergency system because of all the vampires? _

"One of the best things about being rich is that I can always purchase an entire mall for a day, ai hainofi. How about we start at the MET, followed by a New York shopping spree?" Lexa asked with a hopeful smile and the blonde stopped in her tracks, looking at her with wide eyes.  _ No way!!! _

"Really?" Clarke asked and didn't miss the dramatic eye roll from Anya when Lexa nodded.

"Sha, ai hainofi. I will ask your father to pick us up at the airport so he can join us." The brunette smiled, knowing full well how much Clarke missed him. The blonde let out a squeal of excitement and jumped around the car.  _ I haven't seen him in two weeks and now I get to go to the MET!!! Best birthday ever!!! _

"When you hit puberty, I told you to get over it and you survived just fine. Klark gets a trip to New York to visit the art museum and go on a fucking shopping spree." Anya grumbled as they got into the car and Lexa let out a sigh.

"I know… I can't help it." The brunette replied, sounding defeated.  _ Why are they acting like it's a bad thing, they get to spoil me… they love that! _

  
  
  



	4. Growing Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit angsty 'cos puberty.

**October 30, 2004**

  
  


"Are fucking kidding me, right now?!?!" Anya shouted angrily, looking at the brunette like she had lost her mind.  _ I can't believe this, what is she thinking? _

"Don't I deserve some happiness, or do you really believe that I should be a celebate monk for over a decade?" Lexa asked and the copper eyed vampire shook her head in disbelief, she was beyond furious with her old friend.  _ She's abandoning Clarke and acts like it's nothing. Can't she see how upset the kid is? _

"You can't do this to her, Lex!" Anya argued, only for the brunette to throw her hands in the air in frustration. _ Since when am  _ **_I_ ** _ the one taking Clarke's side?! _

"How many times do I have to say it? This isn't about Klark!" Lexa shouted and the copper eyed vampire rolled her eyes dramatically. 

"Everything is about Klark! At least you've been acting that way since she was a toddler and now you're just running away. You're abandoning her, Lex!" Anya argued, causing the brunette to let out a sigh of frustration. _ This is completely out of character for Lexa. _

"Klark is  **a child** ! Everyone has been telling me for years to say no to her and when I finally do, I'm the asshole." Lexa grumbled and shook her head.  _ This is different, she's crazy about you and this is going to crush her. _

"Saying no to a shopping spree is one thing, moving to another country to shack up with some Azgeda floozy is another." Anya barked, shooting an angry glare at the brunette and Lexa gritted her teeth. _ Clarke has been the center of the universe for her and now she's just running away for a fresh piece of ass!! _

"Ontari is  **not** a floozy!! She is the curator at the Louvre and a well respected member of the art community." The brunette shouted back and her friend threw her arms in the air, shaking her head in disbelief. __

"Just go!" Anya turned her back on the brunette, trying desperately not to completely lose her shit.  _ Why now? Clarke's still adjusting to being a vampire and she needs all the help she can get! _

"Anya…" Lexa replied with a defeated tone and her friend had enough.  _ There's obviously no changing her mind. If she's gonna be selfish, then fuck her! _

"Get the fuck out of here before the kid has another meltdown that the rest of us have to clean up!" Anya shouted as loud as she could with eyes black with rage and Lexa let out a sigh, then disappeared in a flash. The copper eyed vampire closed her eyes and took calming breaths before going back inside the Griffin home. _ How am I going to break this to her? _

"I take it, that's a no."Jake gave her a sad smile and sighed when Anya gave him a nod.

"Maybe it's for the best, cutting the umbilical cord and all. Lexa's been Clarke's crutch for years now and it might be good for them both to have some time apart." Abby offered, trying to be hopeful and the vampire closed her eyes, trying to rein in the anger she felt towards her best friend.  _ Yeah, if it doesn't destroy the kid. _

"I hope you're right, I've never seen her this upset before. I'm going to step up her training, Klark's a natural and I think it will help her to focus on something other than this. If that's ok with you guys." Anya looked to the two humans for approval and was met with nods from both.  _ Beating the shit out of something will get her emotions in check. _

"I think that's a great idea, Anya. Clarke's been doing so much better since she began training and until today, hasn't had any outbursts." Abby replied, looking around at the living room that was covered in broken glass and debris from Clarke's reaction to Lexa's announcement.

"I'll take her for a couple hours and let her beat the shit out of a training dummy, it should help for tonight at least. Where is she?" Anya offered and the girl's father gestured to the stairway.

"Gustus took her to her room, you know how much she loves the overgrown teddy bear." Jake answered and the copper eyed vampire nodded in agreement. Anya made her way to Clarke's room and opened the door to find her just as unconsolable as before. _Why would Lex do this? Is that bitch that great of a lay?_

"Shh, strik gona, chil yu daun. (Calm down, little warrior)" The massive vampire rubbed the girl's back gently as she sobbed into his shoulder and Anya couldn't help but feel sorry for the ten year old blonde. 

"Em pleni, ai seken!!!" The copper eyed vampire walked towards Clarke and Gustus, then lifted her chin with her index finger. "Shit happens! People leave, friends betray, loved ones die and only the strong survive. Are you strong, Klark kom Skaikru or are you going to let this break you?" Anya looked deep into her watery eyes and the blonde gulped, lips trembling.  _ God, she looks pathetic right now. I have half a mind to kick Lexa's ass for this. _

"Ai ste yuj, Seda. (I am strong, teacher)" Clarke's voice was raspy from her screams and she wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Os, ai seken. Ge smak daun gyon op nodotaim. (Good, my student. Get knocked down, get back up again) You will train harder and longer. It's time to stop being a kid that always gets her way and start growing up. There will be no more tantrums or outbursts like today. You will stop talking back to me and other adults, no more I'm a princess bullshit, do you understand?" Anya raised an eyebrow at the ten year old and the blonde nodded with a pathetic look on her face.  _ Don't go soft on her now, Anya. She's angry, work with that. _

"Sha, Seda." Clarke replied with a shaky voice and wiped the rest of her tears off her face as she stood up.  _ She can do this, I know she can. _

"Mafta ai op, Klark. (Follow me)" Anya ordered and turned to head out of the door, with the ten year old blonde following close behind.

  
  


*******************************************************

**October 15, 2006**

  
  
  


"I'm gonna kick your ass this time!" Clarke smirked and Roan attacked, pushing the blonde backwards with his swings.

"Don't get overconfident, Klark. It makes you sloppy." Roan smiled, then was caught off guard when the blonde rolled to miss his swing and attacked him. The male vampire was a much better fighter than Clarke, having trained since he was able to hold a sword and yet she was learning incredibly fast.

"Focus, ai seken. You're broadcasting your next move, keep it clean and keep your opponent on their toes." Anya instructed and the blonde gave a short nod of understanding, then attacked him. The male vampire flashed behind Clarke and kicked her forward, then swung his sword. The blonde easily blocked Roan's swing, using her sword to send him off balance and swept his feet out from under him. The male vampire landed on his back with a grunt and Clarke flashed on top of him, pressing the tip of her sword against his throat.

"Perfect, ai seken!" Anya smiled proudly and the blonde puffed up with confidence, smiling widely.  _ She's getting so much better. By the time she's a Queen, she'll be one of the finest gonas in the Coalition. _

"Didn't see that coming, Ro?" Clarke asked, then offered her hand to her opponent and smirked as she lifted him to his feet.

"You got lucky. What do you say we go again?" Roan asked with a hopeful smile and the blonde gave him a nod.

"That was excellent, Clarke! You'll be as fine a warrior as Anya one day at this rate!" Queen Nia smiled proudly as she approached and Anya nodded in agreement.  _ She damn well better be! _

"Mochof, Azplana. (Thank you, Ice Queen)" Clarke's face lit up under the praise and the Ice Queen set a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, please darling! How many times must I tell you to call me Nia?" Azplana replied, shaking her head and the blonde straightened her stance before she responded.

"Seda says I should address my elders by their proper title. You earned your rank and it should be respected." Clarke answered, with her hands behind her back and it made her fos incredibly proud of her.  _ I never thought I'd be so proud to have her as my seken. _

"That is fair, you may use my name when we are alone. Your fos has done an excellent job teaching you discipline, Clarke. I know how much you hate people spending money on you, but this is a special occasion. How about I take you two out for a movie to celebrate you finally defeating Roan?" Nia gave the girl a bright smile, which was becoming normal for these interactions.  _ Never thought I'd see the day that I'd trust the Ice bitch with Clarke's life. _

"I'd love that! Thank you so..." Clarke smiled widely, only to frown when the training room door opened and Lexa stepped through.  _ Great, there goes Clarke's good mood.  _

"Ai hainofi, I heard you were training and thought I would pay you a visit!" Lexa smiled, likely expecting the blonde to be thrilled to see her and seemed confused that Clarke didn't bother looking at her.  _ You're not her favorite person anymore, Lex. She likes Nia more than she likes you. _

"Heda, I didn't realize you were back, how long are you staying in the capitol?" Nia asked, stepping in between the brunette and the training circle.  _ It's sad that Azplana knows that Clarke hates being called princess, but her soulmate doesn't. _

"I will only be in town for a few days to sign the Floukru deal and then I will return to Paris." Lexa replied professionally, despite the obvious confusion as to why Nia was blocking her from seeing the blonde.

"Did Ontari travel with you?" Azplana asked and the brunette shook her head.  _ Ha! Nia hates Ontari for taking you away from Clarke and you don't even realize she's throwing it in your face. _

"No, she is staying in Paris to prepare the museum for a new exhibit. The Louvre is magnificent Klark, you would absolutely love it!" The brunette smiled again, looking over Azplana's shoulder and shooting Anya a questioning glance when Clarke ignored her. 

"So you won't be attending Clarke's party?"

"I'm afraid I cannot. Klark, I thought I might treat you on a shopping spree tonight, since I won't be here for your birthday." Lexa offered and smiled widely at the almost twelve year old, only to receive an eye roll.  _ She isn't a spoiled brat anymore, Lex. If you saw her more often, you'd know that. _

"Teik ai bants, Seda? (Permission to leave?)" Clarke asked, ignoring the brunette and Anya gave the girl a nod.

"Sha, ai seken." The copper eyed vampire replied and the blonde gave her sparring partner a nudge.

"C'mon, Roan." 

"Klark, don't you want… ai hainofi??" The brunette's face filled with disappointment as Clarke exited the training room without responding.  _ She thinks you don't give a shit about her, Lex. All you do is buy her stuff, that's not what she needs or wants. _

"I'm afraid we have already made plans for tonight, Heda. I would invite you, but I don't think Clarke would approve. Anya, will I see you tomorrow night at the charity?" Nia raised an eyebrow and smiled when Anya nodded.

"Sha, Azplana."

"Wonderful. Reshop, Heda." Azplana gave the brunette a respectful nod and exited the training room.

"Why would Nia think Klark wouldn't approve of me joining them and since when are you two so friendly with each other?" Lexa turned to face her friend, looking for an explanation and the copper eyed vampire sighed. 

"You're not her favorite person anymore, Lex and we're friendly because we both care about Klark. Nia is there for her whenever she needs someone other than me to talk to, day or night. She's pretty much taken your place, without the soulmate part." Anya shrugged and the brunette rolled her eyes, likely making assumptions.  _ There's a lot you don't know, because you can't be bothered to ask. _

"Klark can't still upset about me moving, it's been two years, On." Lexa argued, which only served to frustrate her old friend more. 

"It's been an extremely difficult two years for Klark."

"Why?" The brunette looked completely confused and Anya huffed.  _ So not only do you not pick up the phone, you don't listen to messages either. What the fuck is wrong with you?!? _

"If you'd actually pick up the phone and talk to Klark, you would know." Anya grumbled and shook her head in disbelief.  _ You're a shitty soulmate, Lex. No wonder Clarke never wants to talk about you. _

"Why do I get the feeling that you are upset with me too?" Lexa asked with an aggravated tone and that was all it took to make the copper eyed vampire snap.

"Because I am!!" Anya shouted and glared angrily at the brunette.  _ I guess ignorance is bliss, as long as you're getting laid in Paris. _

"Why, what did I do to you?" Lexa narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"You left, then all hell broke loose and I'm the one that had to clean up the mess!! Not to mention the fact that you can't be bothered to make an effort to get to know Klark!!" Anya's eyes were black with rage and Lexa rolled her eyes dramatically. 

"I know far more about her than you do, Anya." The brunette argued, causing her old friend to throw her arms in the air in frustration.  _ You don't have a fucking clue! _

"The fact that you believe that is only further proof that you don't shit." Anya scoffed and Lexa took a seat on the bench with her hand folded in her lap.  _ Here we go, full Heda mode. _

"Fine, what don't I know about her?" Lexa asked with a confident tone and Anya shook her head.  _ You don't get off that easy, Lex. _

"It's not my job to tell you things about  **your** soulmate. I understand being wrapped up in your girlfriend, but you haven't spoken to Klark for more than five minutes in two years. If you want to get to know her, then spend time with her!" Anya grumbled and Lexa raised her arm, pointing at the training room door.

"I just tried to spend time with Klark and she ignored me!" The brunette maintained her calm tone, but it was obvious that she was getting impatient.

"You didn't try to get to know her Lex, you tried to buy her shit and that's not what she needs from you. Why would she want to go on a shopping spree with someone that thinks buying her expensive gifts makes up for not talking to her? She isn't a kid anymore and the days of her wanting to be doted on are long gone." Anya glared at the brunette, who let out a deep sigh.

"Fine, I'll try again." Lexa grumbled and the copper eyed vampire shook her head.

"Do or do not. There is no try." Anya replied, smirking when it was clear the brunette was confused 

"I'm sorry?"

"Klark's favorite movie and she hates being called princess. That's all the help you get, what you do with it is up to you." The copper eyed vampire turned on her heel and exited without further adieu.  _ Figure it out, Lex. Or Clarke may never trust you again. _

  
  


***********************************************************

**October 16, 2006**

  
  
  


"Heda… my parents are at work, then they're going to the Floukru charity event." Clarke answered the door, looking completely surprised to see the brunette.  _ Here goes nothing... _

"I know. I spoke with your father about it this morning, he said you'd be home and I thought we could have a movie marathon." Lexa smiled and raised the DVDs she purchased on the way to the Griffin home.  _ Please be the right thing! _

"You have the box set of Star Wars? I always figured you only watch period dramas or something Oscar worthy." The blonde's face lit up and gestured for the brunette to enter.  _ It was the right thing!!! Don't call her princess and don't offer to buy anything. _

"I prefer supernatural movies and television, the cheesier the better. I find all of the vampire, witch and werewolf movies incredibly amusing." Lexa offered with a wide smile and the blonde chuckled as they walked to the guest room. The brunette was surprised to find that the room was very different now. Instead of a bedroom, it had been converted into a media room with an array of electronics and a large couch.

"Like how vampires burst into flames in the sun and are afraid of crosses?" Clarke smirked as she plopped on one end of the couch and Lexa smiled at the memory of the blonde covered in red sauce.  _ We sat right there watching cartoons while you slobbered all over my clothes and jewelry. _

"Yes, exactly. I often refer to them as comedies, rather than horror movies." The brunette took a seat and gave the blonde a mischievous smile.

"It's super annoying! My friends ask me and Roan all kinds of stupid shit about being vampires. I had Raven convinced that I would melt if she ate garlic and was in the same room as me. Do you want some blood? I just have to grab some from my room." The blonde laughed, then gave her a questioning look and Lexa shook her head.

"I have already eaten, thank you. You keep your blood in your bedroom?"

"Yep, dad bought me a fridge and microwave so mom wouldn't freak." Clarke rolled her eyes and sighed, signalling there was more to the story.

"Abby doesn't approve of you drinking blood?"

"She doesn't approve of me in general. It's… complicated." The blonde grumbled.

"Well, it just so happens that I have a great deal of experience with complicated things." Lexa gave the blonde a kind smile and gave Clarke her full attention.

"She wanted to fix me." The blonde chewed anxiously on her bottom lip, causing Lexa to narrow her eyes.  _ She's afraid to tell me something… I can feel how nervous she is. _

"Fix you?"

"Make me not a vampire." Clarke grumbled and the brunette shook her head in disbelief.

"That isn't possible."

"Believe me, I know." The blonde's nerves were on edge now, like she was about to confess to horrible crime and it concerned Lexa deeply. 

"Klark, what happened?"

"Mom spent a year convinced that I didn't really need blood, that it was just in my head. She took blood samples, scanned my brain and said the tests showed no reason for me to need blood to survive. Mom thought it was just an addiction and wanted to prove it. You're mom's friend, I shouldn't say negative stuff about her." Clarke shot the brunette a cautious look and the brunette scooted closer, placing a hand on her shoulder.  _ What is she afraid of? _

"You can tell me, Klark."

"Remember when dad was in Paris with you last year?" The blonde gulped, having a difficult time meeting Lexa's eyes.  _ What happened? _

"Yes of course, he stayed with us for six months and we had a wonderful time, despite all of the board meetings." The brunette tried to put her somewhat at ease with a smile, but it didn't seem to work. Clarke stared at the wall for several moments before she continued.

"Things got… bad. I got bad." The blonde offered with a remorseful look and Lexa lifted Clarke's chin to meet her eyes.

"I will  **never** judge you, Klark."

"Mom made me stop drinking blood and only fed me human food. It made me  **really** sick, but she said it was just withdrawals. I… may have killed some animals... and four homeless people. Then I... attacked mom… if Anya hadn't stopped by that night, I probably would have killed her. Now if dad isn't here, mom stays with a friend so she feels safe, despite the excessive amount of protection spells on the house." Clarke's eyes were watery, looking like she expected the brunette to scold her and it made Lexa feel terrible.  _ Her emotions have been so out of control in the last two years, that I've ignored them. I thought it was just puberty…  _

"Klark, why didn't you call me? I would have stopped it immediately!"  _ She killed four people, that must've been horrible for her. _

"I did, twenty seven times." Clarke's words shook the brunette to the core as she recalled all of the calls the blonde mentioned. _ There were so many, that I assumed she was having a meltdown over something trivial… Clarke has blood on her hands because I ignored her calls for help. That's why Anya's so angry with me. _

"Klark… I...I'm supposed to be there for you and I wasn't… I'm so sorry." Lexa fought the tears that threatened to escape, knowing that she was somewhat responsible for those deaths.  _ I promised I would always be there for her and I wasn't. I failed her… no wonder she was so cold towards me yesterday.  _

"You're an adult and I was a spoiled brat back then, you probably thought I was being dramatic. It's my fault, I should've told Anya. She's my fos, I'm supposed to trust her with my life and I didn't. It won't happen again, I promise." Clarke finished, looking down at the ground and the brunette took the blonde's hand. _ If I had stayed, this never would have happened. Clarke doesn't need expensive gifts, she needs someone to be there for her.  _

"I don't deserve your trust Klark, but I swear that I will always be available to speak to you. If for some reason I cannot answer the phone, I promise to call you back the moment I am able." Lexa promised and the blonde closed her eyes, then took a deep breath.  _ Nia and Anya were there for her while I was playing house with Ontari to pass the time. Clarke deserves someone far better than me. _

"Enough of the depressing afterschool special, we're supposed to be watching Star Wars. Which one's your favorite?" Clarke changed the subject and the brunette was grateful for it.  _ I need to rethink my current situation, but for now just spend time with Clarke. _

"I won't mislead you, I have never seen them and apparently that is sacrilege. The associate at the store said that they were numbered, but they need to be viewed in a different order. It was very confusing, so I figured I would have the expert guide me through it." Lexa gave the blonde a hopeful smile and Clarke's face lit up.

"Come, young Padawan, let me teach you the ways of the force." The blonde smirked and hopped up to put the first disc in the DVD player.  _ Anya is right, time is far more precious than money. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter a certain blonde develops a major crush. 😁


	5. Just Act Normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was getting too long, so I decided to split it.

**October 24, 2009**

  
  
  


"Happy birthday, Princess! Kill anyone today?" Finn gave the blonde a smirk, only to receive an eye roll in return. There was absolutely  **nothing** Clarke Griffin hated more than being called princess and Finn knew it. _ If I didn’t know Anya would kick my ass, I would rip that asshole’s throat out!! _

“Ya know, I’m feeling kinda hungry… wanna be my birthday lunch? I promise it won’t hurt… much.” Clarke replied with dropped fangs and smirked as Finn rushed to the opposite side of the cafeteria.  _ That’s right douchebag, keep your distance or I may risk getting on Anya’s bad side. _

"Chil yu daun, Klark. He's trying to piss you off and it's  **your** birthday, so fuck him." Roan offered with a smile and handed her a large box wrapped in leather.  _ What? He got me a present? Why is everyone giving me presents today, they know better! _

"Roan! You know I don't like presents on my birthday!" Clarke grumbled and slapped his arm as he sat down at the table, shrugging.

"I would be a shitty best friend if I didn’t know that buying you a birthday present would upset you. I didn’t pay a single dime on it, I promise." Roan smiled widely and the blonde knew he was right, the vampire knew her better than that.  _ This is why he’s my bestie, he gets me. _

"I know, sorry… I just  **hate** birthdays!!"

"That's only because the asshole Coalition Ambassadors send you ridiculously expensive presents and call you the P word. They do the same shit to me every year, the joys of being the only child of a Clan Leader. So... you gonna open it, or not?" The young vampire gave her a smirk and the blonde raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"You promise that you didn't spend any money on it?"

"Ai swega em klin, Klark." Roan promised with a smile and the blonde let out a deep breath.  _ You better not have!  _ Clarke untied the leather lace that kept the wrapping together, revealing a wooden box. The blonde lifted the lid and her eyes went wide with shock.  _ He didn’t…  _

"Roan, this is your father's charcoal set… I can't accept this!" The blonde shook her head, knowing how much Roan loved his father and that this was all he had to remember him by.  _ It’s a part of his dad and he’s giving it to me. _

"Nontu's dead and I can't draw, makes sense that you should have it. My mother wanted to have a Craftsman make another box, but she knew you wouldn't want her to spend the money. Mother said if the day comes that the box needs to be replaced, to let her know and she promises to keep it inexpensive." Roan replied and the blonde threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.  _ Best best friend ever! He and Azplana are so good to me! _

"Thank you! This is really amazing, Roan… I'll call your mom after school to thank her too. You’ve both only ever been nice to me and treat me like I'm normal." Clarke pulled back with a smile and the male vampire gave her a serious look. They still didn’t know who did it, but somehow word got around that Clarke had killed humans. It was four years ago and Anya assured her that she handled it quietly. So when a video of her eleven year old self draining a homeless man in a dark alley hit YouTube on the first day of high school, she was crushed.  _ Now everyone thinks I’m a psycho killer or a freak.  _

"You are normal, Klark." Roan assured her and the blonde shook her head. The moment she told Lexa, the brunette took the first plane back to the states and started a formal inquiry. Clarke had never seen Lexa so angry before, she burst into the school lunchroom and promised to rip the throat out of whoever was responsible. Kane and Pike had to calm the brunette down, telling her that threatening to kill high school students was not the way to handle it. Sinclair made sure the video was removed while Nia and Anya began compelling humans to forget they saw it. However, it was too late to stop the rumors at school, the blonde was bombarded with hateful messages and cruel pranks.  _ Welcome to high school, Clarke. _

"We both know that's not true!" The blonde grumbled.

"What isn't? Inquiring minds want to know, Griff." Raven smirked as she sat at the table, with Octavia and Bellamy in tow.

"Nothing."

"Aww, do I sense a birthday bad mood? Lighten up, Griff it’s your birthday!" Octavia kicked her foot and smirked, the blonde shrugged.

"Yikes! That bad, huh? Is it Finn, cos I will totally kick his ass." Bellamy offered and the blonde clenched her jaw, pulling an envelope out of her backpack.  _ I don’t understand, I Skype Lexa a minimum of once a week when she’s in Paris and I thought she knew me. She hasn’t bought me anything since she started splitting her time between Paris and Polis, now this.  _ Raven immediately grabbed the envelope to read it and threw her hands up in the air. 

"Of course, it's in fucking Trig! Ya know sometimes, it totally sucks being the only norm in the group." Raven grumbled and rolled her eyes. No one knew why, but Trig can’t be learned or taught. Clarke and her friends tried to teach it to Raven, yet were unable to. Vampires were fluent in it from the moment they could talk and witches when they were about five. When Clarke asked Anya about it she said, “ _ You either know it or you don’t, end of story.”  _

"Give it here, Rae!" Octavia snatched it out of her hand and read the letter silently to herself. "Wow, Clarke's fairy godmother is flying you and all of your friends to Paris for two weeks during our winter break. All expenses paid, of course. The only requirement is we stay with Heda in her Paris mansion and bring Anya to chaperone… are you fucking kidding me? That’s not a birthday present, that’s cruel and unusual punishment." The dark haired witch grumbled, rolling her eyes and received a kick in the shin from the blonde in return.  _ Don’t talk shit about Anya, she’s my friend! Well, more like a grumpy big sister… but still. _

"Shof op, O! Anya's not that bad!" Clarke argued and received a table full of eye rolls in return.

"To you maybe! To the rest of us, she's a total bitch." Octavia grumbled.

"Anya doesn't treat me like I'm a kid and I know that she'd do anything for me, even if she bitches about it. Anya says trauma and hardship builds character, so she doesn’t care if I’m a murdering psychopath." Clarke retorted and Bellamy nudged her, giving the blonde a stern look.

"Clarke, you are  **not** a murdering psychopath!" The male witch reassured her and the blonde sighed.  _ I wish that were true... _

"Tell that to the rest of the school, Bell." Clarke grumbled, only to get a french fry thrown at her from her foster sister.

"Hey, don't worry about them! If anyone in this school is psycho, it’s the only human in our circle of friends." Raven reassured her, with a mischievous smile and Octavia corrected her.

"Technically, Bell and I are human too, Rae."

"Yeah, well I can't use magic and I don't have super powers, making me the odd woman out. Considering that two of you are vampires, I'm basically free lunch in an emergency and we all know it." Raven gave the blonde a wide smile, trying to lift her spirits

"That's why Anya chaperoning us is a requirement, so Roan and I don't accidentally vamp out in the middle of the trip."

"Griff, I've been living with you for two years and you haven't vamped out on me yet." The latina assured her and the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Because my dad and the Skaikru council placed a spell on the house… I told Lexa I don't want her to spend money on me and she does this! It's like she doesn't know me at all and I thought we’d gotten really close..." Clarke let out a sigh, completely thrown off by Lexa’s actions and wondering if the brunette had been listening to her at all.  _ When she’s in Polis, she just spends time with me and doesn’t flaunt how rich she is. She acts like a regular person wearing jeans and t-shirt, I like this new side of her. So why give me and my friends an expensive trip? _

"Maybe she just wants to spend time with you, Klark. She lives in Paris this time of year and you kinda have to fly there to see her. Not to mention that Ontari works at the Louvre and Heda keeps promising to get you a special tour. I’m pretty sure that she’s not doing this to spoil you, Heda goes out of her way to spend time with you. She leaves her girlfriend for six months out of the year, just for you." Roan offered and the blonde hoped he was right.  _ I hope so, I’d rather her give money to charity than spend it on stupid gifts I’ll never use. _

"Hey, if your fairy godmother wants to give us an all expenses paid trip, I say we spend as much of her money as possible. This is a once in a lifetime experience!!" Raven suggested and the table of teenagers suddenly got excited.

"It’ll be so much fun, guys! We can go on shopping sprees and expensive restaurants, meet hot french guys…” Octavia smiled and the blonde rolled her eyes, shaking her head.  _ No! I’m not blow Lexa’s money on stupid shit!! _

"What part of I don't want to spend Lexa’s money do you not understand? We're keeping it cheap, got it?"

"Roan and Bellamy could totally get us booze, cos were in a different country. C’mon Griff, we can party like rockstars on someone else's dime!!" Raven was getting overly excited about this whole thing and the blonde was only getting more uncomfortable.  _ It feels like I’m using her for her money, that’s not right. _

"Uh, Bell and I are only sixteen… pretty sure that's too young in any country." Roan shook his head with amusement and chuckled.

"Oooh, Clarke and Roan can compel them then!"

"No, Rae! That's just… wrong and Anya would kick my ass if she found out."

"What's the point of having a superpower if you don't use it, Griff?"

"With great power comes great responsibility." Clarke smirked.

"Ok, now you sound like your grumpy fos, Anya seriously needs a chill pill!" Octavia laughed.

"It's Spiderman, dumbass!" Raven shoved the dark haired witch playfully and rolled her eyes.

“Well hello hot new girl…” Bellamy interjected, looking over the blonde’s shoulder and the whole table turned to see who he was talking about.  _ Damn…. hot is an understatement.  _ The girl was tall, beautiful and wearing an outfit that would make any teenager drool, regardless of orientation. _ Holy fucking hotness, Batman! _

“That’s my cousin, asshole and if you don’t stop drooling over her, I’ll kick your ass!” Roan glared at the male witch, before standing up and waving at the new girl.  _ Cousin? Wait…  _ **_that’s_ ** _ Echo? Are good looks a requirement to be a vampire, cos daaaamnn.  _ The girl walked through the lunchroom with a confident stride, well aware that everyone in the room was staring and yet didn’t seem to care. “Guys, this is Echo, she’s living with us until we graduate.” Roan offered and the female vampire smiled, offering her hand to Clarke who was too stunned to speak properly.  _ Oh my god, oh my god… be cool, just act normal. _

“Nice legs… uh, I mean… nice skirt… it shows off your legs… which are great… the rest of you is great too… just great in general… uh, hi.” Clarke stuttered, only to receive a glare and smack from her best friend.  _ What the fuck? Nice legs?!? Pull it together, Griffin. _

“Uh, thanks. You must be Klark, Roan and aunt Nia have told me all about you. They say you’re a fantastic artist and a pretty badass fighter, we should spar sometime.” Echo responded with a smile, though she was obviously caught off guard and Clarke blushed.

“Totally. You’d have to wear less clothing… I mean take off the skirt… to wear other clothes… not get naked.” The blonde babbled and was unceremoniously shoved aside by Raven as Roan gave Clarke an incredulous look. _Take off the skirt???_ _Oh my god, this is so fucking embarrassing!! Why would I say that?!_

“You’ll have to excuse Griff, she left her brain at home this morning. Raven Reyes, professional mischief maker, explosives genius and mechanic extraordinaire. I’m also the token human at Polis Academy, to keep the supernatural ACLU happy and all.” As the latina introduced herself, while Roan mouthed  _ ‘What the fuck? _ ’ to the blonde and honestly she didn’t know.  _ It’s like I’m fucking possessed or something!! Breathe, just breathe. _

“Nice to meet you, Raven.”

“Bellamy Blake and this is my sister, Octavia.” Bell stood up and offered to shake with a wide smile, while Octavia waved.

“Nice to meet you both. Do any of you have Biology after lunch? I’m still finding my way around and it’d be nice to have someone to sit next to...” Echo smiled and Clarke panicked.  _ Oh my god, we have a class together… She probably thinks I’m a weirdo! _

“Griff does, I’m sure she won’t mind...” Raven shot a mischievous smirk at the blonde and it took every bit of self control to not freak out.  _ Thanks, Rae… I’ve already embarrassed myself, why not. _

“Uh, yeah you can totally sit on me… with me, you can sit with me.” Clarke’s face was red with embarrassment and the female vampire gave her a wide smile, likely certain the blonde had lost her mind.  _ I can’t believe this… what is wrong with me?! I never have trouble talking to guys or girls. Now I have to sit through an entire class trying not to make a complete ass out of myself. Roan is gonna kick my ass for this. _

“Great, thanks.” Echo replied with a genuine smile, just as the bell rang and the blonde was left with a lump in her throat.  _ Oh god, now we have to walk to class together.  _

“C’mon, Bio is this way.” Clarke grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder, gesturing for Echo to follow.  _ Ok, you can do this. Act normal...Why did she have to be so gorgeous? She has this whole stoic, I’m such a badass I don’t have to prove it walk that is soooo hot. Just ignore it and focus on not making her think I’m crazy. _

“So... Klark, how long have you been going to school here?” Echo asked as they walked and thankfully Clarke seemed to regain control of her mouth. 

“Since kindergarten, it’s a Griffin family tradition, ten generations of serving as the human advisor to Heda. It’s kinda ironic that the only girl in my family tree is a vampire. You were living in Canada, right?” The blonde tried to hold in the sigh of relief that she was able to speak properly and play it cool.  _ That’s right, just be normal... _

“Yep, born and raised.”

“I’ve never been, but I’ve seen pictures and you look gorgeous… I mean it does. Is it really cold there, or do people just say that?” The blonde raised a questioning eyebrow and Echo smiled.  _ Seriously, what the fuck, Griff? Recover, you can recover. _

“It is beautiful there and cold sometimes, but I’m Azgedan. Ice is in our blood.”

“Why’d you move to Polis?”

“Uh…”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy.” Clarke stopped and faced the brunette vampire shaking her head with embarrassment.  _ So first you say stupid shit to make her uncomfortable and then ask questions to make uncomfortable. Nice one Griff. _

“It’s okay, just... let me get to get to know you first?” Echo gave the blond a cautious smile and Clarke nodded with a timid smile.  _ Don’t blame you, you probably think I’m a freak. _

“I get it, you just met me. We can sit over there.” The blonde suggested and led them to a table at the back of the class. Mrs. Green came in and forced Echo to do the class introductions before she started her lecture on molecules. It was boring stuff, most of it Clarke knew already and seemed to be the same for the Azgedan. They were far enough from the teacher so they could talk quietly and thankfully, the brunette spoke first.

“Roan said it was your birthday?” Echo asked and the blonde nodded in affirmation.

“Yep, big fifteen. Everybody’s coming to my house after school to hang out, you should come. It’s nothing formal, we watch movies and play video games. My dad’s out of town, so it’s just us kids.” Clarke offered, thrilled that she was able to say without sounding creepy.  _ Oh shit, I just invited her to my house!! Please say yes!! _

“That sounds like fun, thanks. You just live with your dad?” The brunette smiled shyly and the blonde nodded.  _ Yes! Fuck, I have to clean… I have enough time if I make Rae help. _

“Yep, mom’s out of the picture.” Clarke answered with a sigh and chewed her bottom lip nervously.  _ AKA Lexa banned her from ever being in my presence without supervision and told dad what she did, so he kicked mom out of the house. _

“Divorce?”

“Not... exactly. It’s kinda personal… How about I tell you about my mom, when you’re ready to tell me about moving here?” The blonde gave her a questioning look and Echo nodded her agreement with a kind smile.

“Deal.”

“Ms. Griffin!! Is there something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” Mrs. Green interjected, causing the blonde to roll her eyes and shake her head. “Then face the front of the class and start taking notes.” The teacher gave her a stern look and the blonde opened her notebook, then shot a sheepish smile at Echo before pretending to take notes. It was hard to focus, the brunette just had to cross her legs in a way that showed them off and Clarke struggled to not look.  _ God, what’s wrong with me? I hate it when guys get all hormonal and I’m acting like one of them. Focus on something else, draw something.  _ It was only after a few minutes of doodling that her phone started to vibrate and she pulled it out of her pocket to read the texts.

  
  
  
  


**Group Msg**

Rae Rae: You can sit on me?!?! 🤤 smooth, Griff… why not just ask for a lap dance? 😂

Ro: What the hell was that?! 🤯 You know she’s my cousin, right??

O: Someone’s got a crush!! 😍🤣😂 Nice legs!!

Bell: You have to take your skirt off?!? LMFAO ☠️ 

CG: Shut up, all of you!! 😡

Rae Rae: …

CG: I mean it! I can see you typing, Rae!!!

Rae Rae: Don’t 🧛♀️ out on me, save it for your new GF 👩❤️💋👩

CG: Fuck you guys!!

O: Is she coming tonight?

CG: Yep, I already offered.

Rae Rae: I bet you did!! 😂

  
  


Clarke rolled her eyes dramatically and shoved her phone back in her pocket, then continued to draw. The rest of the class went by surprisingly fast and the two vampires stood up at the bell.

“I love the caricature you did of Ms. Green! You’re really talented.” Echo pointed to the blonde’s drawing and laughed, causing Clarke to blush.  _ Don’t ramble, just act normal. _

“Thanks. I don’t normally do satirical stuff, but I figured it was better than detention on my birthday. What’s your next class?” Clarke gave the girl a hopeful smile and crossed her fingers.  _ Please say we have another class together!! _

“American History… should be interesting, in Canada that’s world history.” Echo chuckled and the blonde’s heart skipped.  _ Yes! Now just relax and be yourself. _

“Looks like we have another class together. Rae and O will be there too, you can sit with us.” Clarke offered and the brunette vampire smiled widely, then walked with her to class. The rest of the afternoon was surprisingly enjoyable, Echo and Clarke had every class together. With each class, the blonde became more relaxed and friendly with the brunette.  _ Because I stopped blathering like an idiot... _ They whispered about school gossip, movies and music during lectures. Echo seemed to enjoy watching the blonde draw parodies of the teachers and classmates. The two girls seemed to have a lot in common and even had inside jokes by the time they walked out of school. The blonde was feeling pretty confident about her recovery from the lunchroom fiasco and thankfully, Echo acted like it never happened.

“That’s me and Rae, you’re the SUV over there by the tree. I’ll see you at my house around seven?” The blonde pointed, then gave her a hopeful smile and the brunette nodded.

“I look forward to it Klark, thanks again for inviting me.” Echo smiled brightly.

“No problem, see ya later.” Clarke walked towards Anya with a big smile, content that she had managed not to make a complete fool of herself.  _ Now I just have to keep it together when she comes over and try to keep everyone from scaring her off. _

“What’s got you so smiley? I thought you hated birthdays.” Anya narrowed her eyes as she leaned against the SUV and scanned the girl closely.  _ Definitely not letting Echo meet you yet, you’ll scare her off. Though she kinda has the same confident aura as you and Lexa. The whole I can kick your ass, while looking great in an outfit kinda vibe. _

“Griff’s got a hard on for the new girl, not that I blame her she’s a hottie for sure. Clarke asked her to take her clothes off and sit on her, it was fucking classic!!” Raven laughed and the blonde smacked her arm, feeling her cheeks flush. 

“Shut up, Rae!!”

“What?!? Who?” Anya pushed off the car and went directly into super protective mode, which was weird considering it was just a crush… for now.  _ Relax, it’s not like we’re together, Anya. Do  _ **_not_ ** _ scare her off!! _

“Roan’s cousin, Echo. She’s coming over with everybody tonight so Clarke can hit on her some more.” Raven smirked and the blonde rolled her eyes, Anya on the other hand seemed concerned.  _ See, this is why I don’t talk about guys or girls with you, Anya you get... weird. _

“Rae!!”

“Do you like this girl?” Anya was not going to let it go and Clarke could see the wheels in her head turning.  _ Oh god, please don’t do something I’ll regret like telling Echo to back off or interrogate her. _

“She’s pretty cool, we have a lot in common and as Rae mentioned, totally hot. Really hot.” The blonde threw her head back and rolled her eyes.  _ So fucking hot... _

“Does she like you?” Anya pressed on and Clarke was beginning to wonder why the copper eyed vampire was so interested.

“Not sure… in fact I’m not certain if she even likes girls.” Clarke shrugged nonchalantly, trying to play it off.

“She swings both ways like you, I asked Roan. She had a girlfriend at her last school, she likes guys but never dated one. You do know Bell is totally jealous, by the way. He offered to walk with her between classes and she totally blew him off. Told him  **you** would show her around.” Raven interjected, causing the blonde to smile widely.  _ She turned Bell down to walk with me? He’s like the resident hot guy… does that mean she likes me? _

“Are you gonna ask her on a date?” Anya gave her seken a look that suggested she was upset about something and the blonde rolled her eyes.  _ What’s with the twenty questions? _

“I don’t know, On! We just met and I spent the whole afternoon trying to make up for drooling over her at lunch.” Clarke replied with a frustrated tone and the copper eyed vampire narrowed her eyes as if she would see something hidden.  _ I swear to fucking god if I have a chance with her and Anya scares her off... _

“You’ll tell me if you do, yes?”

“Seriously starting to be concerned by the double standard here, On. You caught me kissing Nathan Miller three times last year and it was no big deal. I have a crush on a girl and it’s let’s set up a formal inquiry. Lexa’s had a girlfriend for five years and she’s your best friend, you’d think you wouldn’t be so homophobic.” Clarke replied in a condescending tone and Anya straightened her back, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Have you told Lexa?”

“I don’t think Heda would want me to call her in the middle of the night just to say I met a hot girl and invited her to hang out. Why are you so interested in my love life all of a sudden?” Clarke scanned her fos carefully and Anya shrugged, then shook her head.

“I’m not, just asking.”

“I call major bullshit! You look all… interested, like I’m gonna run a background check on Echo interested.” Raven interjected, giving the copper eyed vampire a challenging glare and Anya rolled her eyes.

“Just get in the fucking car.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I'm having fun throwing canon out the window...😁 If Nia can be nice, why not?


	6. Klark is Special

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kind comments and kudos. I really appreciate hearing what you think. Hope you enjoy!

**November 23, 2009**

  
  
  
  


"Just ask her out already, Griff!!"

“I’ve been trying to, Rae!! Everytime I’m about to suggest we be more than friends, I turn into a babbling moron and I don’t know why!” Clarke replied with a frustrated tone and let out a defeated sigh. One month of alternating between acting perfectly normal and sounding like a hormonal creep. The two vampires were practically inseparable, walking to classes together, having sleepovers, talking on the phone for hours and even training together. Yet everytime Clarke was about to ask her on a date, the blonde would start making inappropriate comments about how gorgeous Echo was.  _ I can talk to her about anything, but not will you go on a date with me.  _

“Is she coming to Paris?” Octavia gave the blonde a smirk and Clarke nodded, smiling proudly.  _ That’s the one thing I have been able to ask her. _

“Yep. She’s really excited to go and she speaks French, so we’ll have a translator. I cannot wait for Lexa to meet her, I know she’ll love Echo!” The blonde smiled, she was beyond excited to see Lexa and possibly get her advice on impressing Echo. Clarke hadn’t told Heda yet that she had a crush on the brunette, only that they were friends. The blonde considered telling her, but wanted to discuss it in person instead of over Skype.  _ If anyone can teach me how to get a girl to like me, it's Lexa. _

“Then you have the perfect opportunity!! Who doesn’t want to be romanced in Paris, Griff?!” Raven gave the blonde an excited look and Clarke’s mind filled with all the possibilities.  _ Romantic dinner, Eiffel Tower, I bet Lexa could set up something private. No, that’s like using her for her money, but I never ask Lexa for anything... maybe she’ll help me. _

“Hey, Princess! What’s this I hear about you organizing a charity to help homeless people? Kinda ironic, considering your taste in food, isn't it?” Finn smirked wickedly as he approached and the blonde rolled her eyes.  _ One of these days, he’s gonna piss me off so much that I kill him. _

“Shut up, Finn!” Clarke gritted her teeth, fighting to keep her eyes from going black and fangs from dropping, so Finn couldn’t use it as ammunition.  _ If I vamp out, he'll go running to Kane and I'll be in detention. _

“Or what, you’ll go rabid dog on me again? Only a matter of time before everyone sees what a monster you...” Finn was cut off when Echo suddenly appeared and lifted him in the air by the throat, glaring angrily at him.

“Back the fuck off Skai boy or I will show you how Azgeda deals with bullies!” The brunette growled and tossed him backwards a few dozen feet, smiling triumphantly when he scrambled away.  _ That was really hot!  _ “You okay, Klark?” Echo asked as she took a seat next to the blonde and put her arm around her, causing Clarke to smile.

“Yeah, Finn’s been picking on me since we were five, no big deal. Ready to see how we celebrate Thanksgiving at Polis Academy? They show us the same video every year. It’s a cautionary tale of inviting white immigrants for turkey dinner, very informative.” The blonde offered with a chuckle as the rest of her friends filled in the seats around them.

“Moral of the story, never invite strangers to dinner.” Octavia interjected.

“That’s no fun, how else will we get fresh blood?” Roan winked at the dark haired witch, who rolled her eyes and the gang looked up at the sound of a thump on a microphone.

“Alright, everyone take a seat and we’ll begin.” Kane waited until the students settled into their seats and then turned off the lights to start the video. As the credits rolled across the screen, Clarke pulled out a sketchbook and started to doodle.  _ I’ve only seen this nine times, not like I don’t have it memorized.  _ Echo set her head on the blonde’s shoulder and quietly watched her draw, which was becoming normal for them. That was probably the most frustrating part about her relationship with the brunette, they were very touchy and comfortable with each other.  _ When I’m not being creepy and making comments about how hot she is. _ It wasn’t abnormal to see them hug or hold hands or snuggle while watching a movie. Clarke did the same with her other friends as well, so she wasn’t entirely certain if it meant that Echo actually liked her or was being friendly. Halfway through the movie, Raven nudged the blonde and gave her a horrified look.  _ What? _

“Uh, Griff…” Raven pointed at the silver screen and Clarke looked up to see her younger self, draining a homeless person. The room filled with gasps and screams, causing the blonde’s heart to stop. It was a different video than the one that was posted on YouTube and there was a very clear shot of her face, blood dripping from her mouth as she pulled away.  _ This isn’t happening!!  _ Tears welled up in her eyes and her body began to shake as panic flooded her veins. Her enhanced senses made it so she could hear every whisper, every silent comment from students and teachers alike.

_ Murderer, monster, freak, psycho... _

The blonde stood up, realizing that all eyes were now on her and flashed out of the school.  _ Oh my god, oh my god… they know, everyone knows and now I’m going to be arrested or worse.  _ It was at least a thirty minute drive to her home, probably fifteen if she ran and yet she realized that was the last place she should go.  _ They’ll send the cops there and probably to dad’s work, even though he’s in California.  _ Instead, she just ran as fast and as far as possible with no heading, no sense of direction. She came to halt in the middle of the forest that lined the outskirts of Polis and leaned on a tree, feeling like she might be sick. The blonde leaned against the tree and allowed the overwhelming sadness to take over, bursting into a sob. Her phone was vibrating like crazy in her pocket, yet she ignored it. She had no idea how long she was there, having no sense of time as her mind swam with the implications of what she had done. Clarke was only vaguely aware when someone scooped her into their lap and held her as she cried.  _ I’m a monster, a freak, a murderer. I deserve to be arrested, to be executed. _

“Shh... yu ste klir, Klark.” Echo wiped the tears from the blonde’s face as she buried her head in the crook of the brunette's neck.

“I’m a monster.” Clarke offered with a shaky voice and the brunette shook her head in disagreement, lifting the blonde’s chin.

“No, you aren’t.”

“I am! You saw the video, I killed that man and three others… now everyone knows the truth. I’m a monster!” The blonde sobbed into her shoulder and Echo started rubbing soothing circles on her back.

“Klark if anyone is a monster, it’s your mother. Starving you like that is a horrible act of abuse, any vampire will turn feral if they are starved. Your mother killed those people, not you.” The brunette reassured her and Clarke looked up at her, realizing that they never talked about what happened.

“How did you…”

“Roan and the others told me everything while Raven was tracking your phone. I’m so sorry you went through that, Klark. I have half a mind to find your mom and kick her ass for doing that to you.” Echo tucked a strand of golden hair behind Clarke’s ear and the blonde chewed on her bottom lip.

“I wish you would, does that make me a bad person?”

“No. Your mother tortured you and deserves to pay for what she did, parents should never hurt their own children." The brunette took a deep breath and met Clarke's eyes, with a remorseful look. "We made a deal that I would share my story, when you told me about your mom. My father is a cruel man, sadistic and bloodthirsty. He believes that vampires should rule the world and humans exist only for food. When I refused to kill for food and he locked me in a cell with twelve humans, saying the only way out was if I killed all of them. I tried to fight it, but...” Echo let out a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before she continued. "Aunt Nia came to visit and my father told her I was out of town. She eventually followed the smell of death and found me half crazy in that cage surrounded by corpses. She said that he deserved to spend the rest of eternity suffering for what he did to me. Nia chained my father up and put him in a steel box, then dropped him in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. I'm glad she did that, he deserved it. The faces of the people I killed haunt me in my sleep, sometimes even when I'm awake. My father was a monster, so I'm pretty much an expert in spotting one. You are nothing like him or your mother, Klark kom Skaikru." The brunette assured her and the blonde let out a deep sigh.  _ God, why does she have to be so perfect? _

"Our parents really fucked us up, huh?" It wasn't until that moment Clarke realized that the sky was dark and thought of how worried everyone must be.  _ The assembly was this morning…  _ Echo wrapped her arms around the blonde and held her in a comfortable silence for several minutes before she spoke. 

“I thought Anya was gonna rip my head off when I told her not to come with me. She glared at me, completely silent for like ten minutes and then she promised to cut me a thousand times if something happened to you. I don’t scare easily, but Anya is completely terrifying.” The brunette smirked and the blonde chuckled, then gave Echo a tiny smile.  _ Sounds exactly like Anya... _

“As weird as it sounds, I find it somewhat comforting when Anya’s cold and grumpy. It’s her way of saying that she loves me. God, I bet she’s freaking the fuck out right now!!” Clarke could just imagine the look on her fos’ face and knew that she’d be furious that the blonde ran away like that. The brunette sensed Clarke’s nervousness about seeing Anya and lifted her chin.

"Ai na shil yu op feva, Klark kom Skaikru. (I will always protect you.)”

“I know, that’s one of the many reasons I’m so batshit crazy about you…” The blonde replied, eyes going wide when she realized what she said and Echo smiled widely.

“So why haven’t you asked me out yet? I kind of figured you would the first week I was here.”

“I… uh... I get stupid everytime I try.” Clarke shook her head in frustration and sighed.

“Complimenting me isn’t stupid. I think it's adorable and incredibly flattering when you stumble over yourself saying that I'm beautiful.” Echo smirked confidently and the blonde blushed, giving her a timid smile.  _ Wait, does that mean that she... _

“So… do you wanna be my…” Clarke was cut off when the brunette cupped her face and pulled her into a kiss. At first the blonde thought she was dreaming, a hallucination perhaps and yet this was definitely happening. 

“Yep.” Echo pulled away smiling and the blonde’s face lit up with a dopey grin, while she fought the urge to do a victory dance. _ Yes!!!  _ Instead, she somehow found the courage to kiss the brunette again and it was perfect, until a familiar voice filled the air.

“I swear to fucking god if you two have been making out this whole time, I’m gonna kick both of your asses!! I’ve been worried sick that you might do something ridiculously stupid and instead I find you kissing under a tree! Unfucking believable.” Anya grumbled and Clarke couldn’t help but smile at her fos as she stood up.

“I love you too, On!” The blonde walked up to the copper eyed vampire, who immediately pulled Clarke into a hug.

“Ai na frag emo op kom bash yu op, ai swega em klin. (I will kill them for hurting you, I promise)” Anya whispered as she hugged her and the blonde pulled back, giving her sad smile.

“I know, I’m okay. I’m just glad there’s no school for a week, I don’t think I could face them.” The blonde chewed her bottom lip, looking up as the Ice Queen arrived in a burst of wind.

“You do not have to return to school until you are ready, Clarke. I have already spoken to Mr. Kane and he will allow you to complete classes at home if you wish. I swear to you that we will find whomever is responsible for this.” Nia promised and gave the blonde a warm hug, lifting her chin as she pulled away. "I hope it is alright, but I called your father. He is on his way home as we speak and your friends are at my house, you may all stay with me tonight. I find being near those that love you goes a long way towards healing." The adult Azgeda vampire offered and the blonde smiled widely.  _ How did I get so lucky to have so many people that love me? _

"Mochof, Azplana."

"No need to thank me, dear. It is a pleasure to aid you any way that I can. Come, let's get you settled." Nia wrapped an arm around Clarke, leading her to the SUV parked at the edge of the woods. 

  
  
  


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"You wanted to speak with us, mother?" Roan asked as he and Echo entered his mother's office.  _ I hope she isn't upset about me kissing Clarke, I haven't really discussed it with Nia yet. _

"Yes. Heda and Ontari are sending their sekens to Polis to protect Clarke. Gaia and Aden will join you in Paris and return with you. Heda has instructed them to keep their reason for transferring to Polis Academy a secret. Heda does not wish for Clarke to know how much danger she is in and I have assured Lexa that the two of you would aid them in her protection. Gaia and Aden are the same age as you, I want you to make them welcome in your circle of friends." Nia instructed and the two young vampires nodded in agreement. 

"Heda thinks one of the clans are responsible for the videos, doesn't she?" Roan raised a questioning eyebrow and Azplana nodded.

"Yes, though so far we have been unable to decipher which clan. We believe that Clarke is being followed, waiting for something they can use against her. The four of you will protect Clarke at all times reporting to either myself, Anya or Heda. If there is a concern for her safety, you must tell Anya or myself immediately." Nia replied, looking genuinely concerned for the blonde.  _ Why Clarke? She's so sweet and would never harm anyone... _

"Why would someone want to hurt Klark?" Echo narrowed her eyes and Azplana sighed.

"Klark kom Skaikru is destined for greatness and must be protected at all costs, that is all I am allowed to tell you." Nia answered and the two young vampires nodded in understanding.

"Ai na shil Klark op, ai swega. (I will protect her, I swear it)" Echo and Roan said in unison, receiving a nod of approval.

"Good. In the meantime, we all must make certain that Clarke knows how much she is loved, whoever is doing this wants to break her. We will not allow that to happen. Now go get some rest, I will see you both in the morning." Nia gave a nod of dismissal and both young vampires exited her office.

"So, you and Klark?" Roan raised an eyebrow and the brunette smiled widely.  _ I know, right? _

"Yep, Klark is special. Smart, talented, beautiful and she has a kind heart. I hate that someone is doing this to her, she doesn't deserve this." Echo sighed, wanting nothing more than make the blonde's pain go away.  _ I still don't understand why anyone would want to hurt her. _

"Heda and mother will figure it out. I know you care about Klark, but if you break her heart, I will kick your ass." Roan gave his cousin a smirk and the brunette nodded in agreement.  _ Never. _

"Deal. Reshop, Roan."

"Reshop, Eko."

  
  
  


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**December 20, 2009**

  
  
  
  


“Okay, this place is fucking amazing and huge! I can’t believe only two people live in a place this big, you could easily live here and never see each other.” Raven exclaimed as they stood inside the massive hall. Lexa's Paris mansion was like something out of a period movie about French royalty. It even had one of those garden mazes in the front of the mansion and seemed to have several wings.  _ No shit, you could fit a whole army in this place. _

“You’re right, we could.” A beautiful dark haired vampire interjected as she approached and extended her hand to Clarke. “Ai laik Ontari kom Azgedakru you must be Klark, I’ve heard a great deal about you. I would absolutely love to see some of your work. The way Lexa tells it, you are quite the artist.” Ontari offered with a smile as they shook and the blonde gave her a timid smile in return.  _ Holy Christ, she's beautiful. No wonder Lexa wants her as a girlfriend. _

“Thank you, it’s not exactly Louvre material…” Clarke blushed somewhat embarrassed for the curator of one of the most prestigious art museums on the planet to judge her doodles.  _ They probably look like fingerpainting compared to what she sees everyday. _

“I am certain that you are selling yourself short, Klark. You are still young, most artists do their best work in their later years. Luckily, you are a vampire and have a few hundred lifetimes to create art. I have arranged a private tour of the museum for you and your friends.” Ontari seemed to be excited to share it with Clarke and the blonde couldn't help but feel special under the vampire's attention.

“You didn’t have to do that just for me.” The blonde blushed again. 

“Of course I did Klark, you are so special and I truly hope that we can be friends.” Ontari smiled widely. _ God, she's so nice! _

“Ai laik Eko kom Azgedakru, Klark's girlfriend.” The brunette interjected, offering her hand to shake and Clarke did not miss the look of jealousy on her girlfriend’s face.  _ Aww, she’s cute when she’s jealous…  _ Ontari went through the motions, greeting every one of Clarke’s friends and seemed to be genuinely happy to meet everyone. She gave the teenagers a tour of the mansion, laughing at Raven’s jokes and ignoring the two boys’ lame attempts at flirting.  _ Ontari is really nice, smart and beautiful, no wonder Lexa is with her.  _ Everyone in the group seemed to like her, except Echo. The brunette vampire seemed strangely protective of Clarke and kept an arm around her waist the whole tour, not that she minded.  _ It’s adorable, actually.  _ Ontari finished the tour by showing them to their rooms and told them to make themselves at home.

“Make yourselves at home, if there is anything you need let one of the staff know and it’s yours. Lexa will be home late tonight and planned on taking you all on a tour of the city in the morning. She’s an early riser, but she won’t expect you until nine. Sleep well and again, make yourselves at home.” Ontari gave them all a smile and then flashed down the hallway.

“Damn, she’s hot… no wonder Heda has such a lady boner for her. I bet they fuck like rabbits.” Raven offered and Clarke smacked her arm, then grimaced.  _ Vomit alert!! _

“Eww!! The last thing I ever want to imagine is Lexa having sex… so gross.” The blonde shook herself, waving off a feeling of nausea and her friends looked at Clarke like she’d lost her mind.

“You do realize that Heda’s hot as fuck, right?” Bell asked, only to have the blonde gag and roll her eyes.  _ So disgusting… blahh! _

“Ugh! Can we  **not** talk about Lexa like that? Really don’t want to throw up on my first night in Paris.” Clarke shook her head and Echo wrapped her arms around the blonde from behind with a smirk.

“I think you’re way hotter than Heda, Klark.” The brunette kissed the blonde’s temple and Clarke turned in her arms to face her.

“Ditto. We’re totally sharing a room, fuck Anya’s rules.” The blonde suggested with a lovestruck smile and the brunette leaned in for a kiss.

“Speaking of nauseating, can you not make out with my cousin in my presence?” Roan smirked, only to be shoved by his cousin and Echo smirked.

“We're in the romance capital of the world, I plan on us making out with my girlfriend every chance we get.” The brunette replied, bringing a wide grin to the blonde's face and then was smacked by Octavia.

"Keep it in your pants until bedtime, lovebirds. I wanna go swimming! Did you see the size of the indoor pool?"

"Definitely down for that, O. You two think you can manage to change into your swimming suits without supervision, or do I have to split you up?" Raven smirked, causing the two vampires to roll their eyes.

"Shof op, Rae!"

"I say we give them a time limit. If you're not out of your room and ready to swim in ten, I'm calling Anya to pour ice on you both." Octavia suggested and the brunette vampire smirked.

"Guess we have to be quick, Klark." Echo grabbed the blonde's hand and headed to the nearest guest room.  _ Okay, this birthday present is the best ever! Romantic vacation in Paris with my girlfriend, paid for by Lexa and her girlfriend. It's like an unspoken, blessing. _

  
  
  


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“So that’s the girl in the prophecy…she’s not what I expected at all. The way the Heda describes her, I almost thought you would fall on your knees and swear fealty the moment you saw her. Wanheda is supposed to be able to see through spells and will bring destruction to Maunon.” Gaia watched the security monitors closely, watching the blonde and her girlfriend enter one of the bedrooms.  _ Clarke looks so happy now, but she has been through so much. _

“Klark won’t be Wanheda for sometime and she must be protected until she ascends. Someone is playing mind games with her and we believe she is being followed. Heda is assigning you and Aden as Klark’s bodyguards. You will finish your schooling in Polis, so you can protect her.” Ontari informed her seken and Gaia looked at her fos in shock.  _ I know you are young but someone wants to harm Clarke and harm Lexa by default. _

“Me?”

“Lexa wants Klark to be unaware of the danger she is in, you and Aden are her age. Under no circumstances are you to tell Klark or her friends about the prophecy. Heda wants her to live as normal of an existence as possible before she ascends. The two Azgedans are protecting her as well, the four of you coordinate shifts once you return to America. You will report any emergencies to Anya or Queen Nia and send weekly reports to Heda. Nami, ai seken? (Understood?)” Ontari instructed and the young vampire nodded respectfully.  _ Make me proud and do not fail Clarke or Lexa. _

“Sha, Seda.”

“Keep any discussion of Klark’s make out sessions with the Azgedan out of your weekly reports to Heda. Now get some sleep, you begin tomorrow morning.” The dark haired vampire gave her seken a nod of dismissal and Gaia bowed her head.  _ We will protect you at all costs, Wanheda. _

“Sha, Seda.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexa meets Echo next chapter... jealousy ensues 😁


	7. Love and Jealousy in Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and leaving comments! Hope you enjoy.

**December 21, 2009**

  
  


"Good morning, Aden." Lexa smiled at her seken as she entered the security room and Aden gave her a respectful nod.

"Good morning, Heda."

"I assume Klark and her friends are settled." Heda stood with her hands behind her back, hoping that Aden's report was free of any problems.  _ I want Clarke's visit here to go smoothly. The last thing she needs is a reminder of the mess back home. _

"Sha, Heda. Klark and her girlfriend are in the main sitting room, waiting for you and their friends to join them." Her seken reported and Lexa narrowed her eyes.  _ What? Clarke hasn't said anything about... _

"Girlfriend?" The brunette looked at monitors just in time to witness the blonde and another girl start making out on the couch. Heda's eyes went wide and then black when the other girl moved her hand under Clarke's shirt.  _ How dare she!! _ Lexa flashed through the hallway, heading towards them, only to be stopped by Anya.

"Uhn-uh, absolutely not. She's been so excited for you to meet Echo and is certain that you'll love her. If you rush in there all vamped out, you will piss off Klark and crush her feelings. She may even decide that she never wants to see you again." The copper eyed vampire stood directly in front of her, with arms crossed in front of her and it reminded the brunette of everytime that her fos was trying to teach her a lesson.

"That girl had her hand up Klark's shirt!" Lexa's eyes were black, with fangs dropped as she pointed down the hallway and Anya gave her a stern glare.  _ I will cut it off!! _

"She's happy, Lexa. Echo cares about her and has been protecting her."

"How? How can she protect Klark, with her hand up her shirt?" The brunette's fury was pumping through her veins, thinking of the possibilities of the two girls on vacation together.  _ If Clarke gets hurt because that tramp is too busy making out with her, I will rip her fucking head off!! _

"They take turns standing outside of Klark's house, Lex. It's not like they're always making out and Echo protects Klark at school as well. She's already proven to be perfectly capable of both guarding and being her girlfriend." Anya argued, obviously not bothered by the clear conflict of interest.  _ Not happening under  _ **_my_ ** _ roof!!! _

"I want them on  **opposite** sides of the house and  **you** will be stationed outside Klark's bedroom to make sure they  **aren't** having sex!" Lexa demanded angrily, pointing at Anya and the copper eyed vampire rolled her eyes in response.

"Lexa, last time I checked  **you and I** were sleeping together. You have no right to be jealous of Echo or any other person Klark chooses to be with." Ontari interjected as she approached and the brunette shook her head adamantly.

"We are consenting adults, Klark is a child!"

"She's not a kid anymore, Lex. She's a teenager and seem to recall you having plenty of sex when you were her age." Anya retorted and the brunette rolled her eyes dramatically.  _ That was a millennia and a half ago... _

"That was different, times were different and I was ruling a nation, forcing me to be more mature!" 

"Sweetheart, you said that you wanted Klark to have a normal life until she ascends. If you go charging in demanding they split up, Klark will be angry with you and rightfully so. You acting like a jealous girlfriend will only make her question your motives. Do you plan on explaining to her and her friends why you believe you have a claim to Klark?" Ontari gave her girlfriend that look that she gets when she knows Lexa is being unreasonable about something, more often than not in relation to Clarke.  _ Dammit, this is what I get for dating an expert on ancient prophecies and magic. _

"No, that would make Klark feel like she has no choice." Lexa deflated instantly, knowing that her girlfriend was correct and yet still wanted nothing more than to cut that girl's hand off.

"Exactly, she deserves to be happy, especially after all that she's been through. I know how possessive you can be Lexa, but Klark  **does not** belong to you until  **she** tells you that she is  **yours** ." Ontari insisted and the brunette closed her eyes, taking a calming breath.  _ Jok, she's right... _

"I just can't wait until she asks you for advice, she's been so excited to get pointers from her fairy godmother." Anya chuckled and Heda glared at her.

"That is not happening!"

"Yes, it is. I don't know Klark well, but I do know that Echo makes her smile. She had the most adorable grin on her face while I was giving them a tour. Klark is happy Lexa, let her be. You will behave yourself and be respectful of Klark's relationship, or  **your** girlfriend will not be happy." Ontari gave Lexa a stern look and smiled triumphantly when the brunette's eyes went back to green.  _ She just had to be reasonable... _

"Fine."

"Don't make me kick your ass, Lex."

"Like you could, On!" The brunette scoffed.

"We both know that I can and if you hurt Klark's feelings even a little, I'll remind you of that fact." Anya gave the brunette a smirk and Lexa gave her a nod of agreement. They walked the rest of the way down the hallway to the main sitting room and the blonde's face lit up at the sight of Heda.

"Lexa! I missed you so much! Thank you for bringing me and my friends here, it was really generous." Clarke exclaimed happily and ran forward to give the adult brunette a big hug, smiling widely.  _ Ontari and Anya were right, she's really, truly happy. The only emotion I feel from her is...joy. _

"I missed you as well, Klark. I wanted so badly for you to meet Ontari and see Paris, I hope you aren't too angry with me for spending the money." Lexa smiled hopefully at the blonde as she pulled out of the hug and Clarke shook her head.

"I'm okay with it, but I told my friends that we are  **not** blowing your money on stupid shit. Billionaire or not, I don't want to take advantage of your kindness. I want you to meet my girlfriend!" The blonde gave the Azgedan vampire a bright smile as she approached and outstretched her hand to shake.  _ You're lucky I haven't cut it off! _

"Heda, ai laik Eko kom Azgedakru."

"Pleasure to meet you, Echo." Lexa did her best to maintain the fake smile on her face, knowing that Anya and Ontari were correct.  _ I can feel how much she cares about this girl. _

"Mochof Heda, Klark has told me so much about you and I hope we can be friends." Echo offered and wrapped an arm possessively around Clarke's waist, causing Lexa to clench her jaw.  _ Don't attack her… it will only upset Clarke. _

"I'm quite certain we can all be friends, Echo. I must go to work, but I will see all of you tonight. I hope you all enjoy yourselves." Ontari interjected and Lexa did not miss the look Echo gave her girlfriend.  _ Why is Echo looking at Ontari like that?  _ The dark haired vampire gave Lexa a kiss and disappeared down the hallway just as Clarke's friends arrived.

"Hope we aren't interrupting sexy time for the horny lovebirds, but it's time to get this party on the road!!" Raven exclaimed as she entered with the other teenagers close behind them and Lexa stuck her hand in her pocket, crushing her cellphone into pieces to avoid lashing out.  _ Sexy time? They are having sex!! Stay calm, don't vamp out… let Clarke have a life. _ On the other side of the room, Aden and Gaia entered, looking somewhat nervous.  _ You'll do fine, I know it's your first assignment but I trust you both completely. _

"Everyone, this is Aden and Gaia. They have been training with Ontari and I here in Paris. They will be moving to Polis after this trip to continue their schooling and I hope you don't mind them joining us while you are here." Lexa offered and based on their expressions, the teens were comfortable with them joining them.

"Not at all, so nice to meet you both! I'm Clarke. Our lunch table at school has space for another three or four, so you're totally sitting with us. Once you have your schedules, we can compare and I'm willing to bet one of us has the same class." The blonde smiled warmly as she extended her hand and shook with both teens, bringing a proud smile to Lexa's face.  _ So kind hearted.  _ The others in the group introduced themselves and then followed Lexa to the driveway, where the limo was waiting.

"I have made a list of possible places to visit and activities you might enjoy. If you want to go somewhere either on my list or do something else, let me know. This trip is for all of you and I will not dictate where you go. Ontari has arranged for you to visit the Louvre on Friday, the rest of your time may be spent however you wish." The brunette informed them as they walked towards the car.

"Keep it  **cheap** ! Lexa was nice enough to invite us and pay for everything, we  **are not** taking advantage of that!" Clarke interjected, causing the brunette to smile proudly at the blonde once more.  _ She's grown up so much!! No more demanding little girl that wants a pony and shopping sprees. _ The group entered the limousine full of excitement, the blonde and her girlfriend immediately cuddled together.

"Nice show of self control, now you just have to keep that fake smile on your face for twelve more days. They're very handsy with each other… just a heads up." Anya smirked, obviously enjoying watching her friend squirm and Lexa sighed.  _ This is going to be a long twelve days. Just try to keep an open mind and focus on Clarke's happiness, that's all that matters. _

  
  
  
  


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"Min you op. (Enter)" Lexa offered at the sound of a knock on her office door and Clarke entered with a shy smile. "Klark! Did you enjoy yourself today?" The brunette closed her laptop and moved to sit on the couch in the room, gesturing for the blonde to join her.

"Sha, Heda. Thank you again, I think the humans in the group are about to bust an intestine from all the food they ate." Clarke smiled at the brunette as she nodded and then took a seat.  _ Good. This trip is about you having some happiness in your life. _

"Then I accomplished my goal, I truly want you and friends to have fun on this trip." Lexa gave her a sincere smile and noticed that the blonde was feeling nervous about something. 

"Can I ask you something?" Clarke gave Heda a serious look and the brunette panicked, face filled with a fake smile. _ Oh god, she's going to ask me about sex or relationship advice! Stay calm, don't upset her…  _

"Of course!"

"Are you mad that I didn't tell you Echo is my girlfriend?" The blonde's question took Lexa by complete surprise and the brunette hesitated before she answered.  _ I'm not exactly mad that she has a girlfriend, it's just so fucking hard to explain what I feel when it comes to Clarke.  _

"I… it was a surprise. She seems to make you very happy." Lexa answered carefully and honestly, though it was not the full disclosure. _ I can't picture Clarke in a romantic way yet, so someone else seeing her that way feels… I admit that I feel possessive knowing she will eventually be mine. That's not fair to Clarke. _

"She does make me happy, really happy. I just… this may sound crazy, but…" Clarke chewed on her bottom lip nervously and Lexa hated that she was afraid to tell her something.  _ I'm supposed to be the person she trusts the most and I lost her trust when I left.  _

"Klark, you can talk to me about anything. I will never judge you." The brunette reassured her.

"Whenever Echo and I were… affectionate today, I got this... feeling that I didn't understand. Like… jealousy, which is weird cos why would I feel jealous while I'm kissing my own girlfriend?" The blonde hesitated and Lexa's heart stopped at the realization.  _ Shit! Good job, Lexa… you knew that we can feel each other's emotions. No wonder she thinks I'm angry about Echo. _

"Klark… I..." Lexa was cut off when the blonde set a hand on the brunette's arm. _ Keep your emotions in check going forward, do not make her feel guilty for being happy. _

"Then I remembered something Anya told me years ago when I turned, about the two of us having a blood bond. A vampire can feel their progeny's emotions and vice versa. She says it happens when you heal a human with your blood too..." Clarke scanned Lexa's face and the brunette nodded with a remorseful look.  _ All these years of getting used to this and I still have a whirlwind of emotions when it comes to Clarke.  _

"You are correct, Klark and I am so sorry. It is not fair, nor right for me to feel jealous and I hate that I made you uncomfortable. If Echo makes you happy and I know that she does, you have my blessing. I will make an effort to adjust my attitude towards her, ai swega em klin." Lexa responded and then thought hard about how to explain why she was jealous.  _ I can't without telling her the truth... _

"I get it, you have been the center of my world for most of my life and now I'm giving that attention to Echo. I appreciate you going into overprotective sire mode on my girlfriend, it's your way of saying that you love me. I'm not a kid anymore and that's difficult for you to accept. I know that as far as you're concerned no one I date, guy or girl, will ever be good enough for me." Clarke gave the brunette a warm smile and the older vampire nodded her agreement.  _ You have no idea... _

"You're right, they won't." Lexa smirked. _ I don't even think that I am good enough for you. _

"Lexa, you're my sire and no one will ever replace you. You will always be a part of my life, even when I'm a hundred years old and happily married. Just please don't beat up my girlfriend unless she breaks my heart, okay? Then she's all yours." The blonde shot Lexa a mischievous smile and then both women chuckled. 

"You have my word, Klark." The brunette laughed.  _ I will kill her if she breaks your heart. _

"It's weird though, I hardly feel your emotions when we're on the opposite sides of the planet. That's why I was confused at first." Clarke scrunched her eyebrows together and gave the brunette a questioning look. 

"Proximity is a factor in the blood bond between sire and progeny, that is why you feel it more now than at home. The more often that we see one another, the more we will be able to feel each other's emotions." Lexa explained and the blonde thought hard about something before she continued.

"Is that why you left when I was a kid? So we wouldn't feel each other's emotions?" The blonde raised a questioning eyebrow.  _ No, but it's too soon to discuss it… you won't understand until you read the prophecy. _

"No. I left for many reasons, one of them being Ontari." Lexa shook her head, trying to avoid peaking the blonde's interest. 

"And the other reasons?" Clarke raised an eyebrow and the brunette sighed.  _ I can't tell you yet, I'm sorry. _

"I promise that I will explain it all to you, but I need you to trust that I will tell you when it is the right time. Can you do that?" Lexa scanned the blonde's face and Clarke nodded her agreement.  _ You are not ready for that burden... _

"I do trust you, Lexa."

"Thank you Klark, I know how hard that is for you. So there is no misunderstanding, I will never again abandon or ignore you like I did during those two years." Lexa promised and the blonde smiled brightly.  _ Never again! _

"I know, one of the perks of being able to feel your emotions is I know you when you mean what you say. So, can I ask you about girl stuff or should I give you a few days to get the overprotective sire shit out of your system?" Clarke raised an eyebrow, smirking and Lexa took a deep breath.  _ Control your emotions and be happy that Echo makes her happy. _

"I would like to have a few days to adjust and get to know Echo better, if that is alright with you. I was hoping the two of us could spend the day together on Saturday. You may ask me anything you wish then and I promise to keep my emotions in check." The brunette suggested and Clarke's face lit up with a bright smile. 

"Deal. Reshop, Heda."

"Goodnight, Klark."

  
  
  
  


***********************************************************

  
  


**December 25, 2009**

  
  
  
  


"I cannot believe we have the entire museum to ourselves!!" Clarke looked around in complete awe, this was a dream coming true and she couldn't be happier if she tried.

"Uh, it's Christmas…" Roan offered and the blonde shoved him playfully, still smiling.  _ This is the best Birthday/Christmas present ever and no one's shitting on it. _

"Still! I can actually examine a piece of art without someone else wanting their turn. Who else gets to see the Louvre with absolutely no crowd or pushy tour guides?" 

"I do, every night. One of the many privileges of working here. If you ever wish to work here Klark, you have a job waiting for you." Ontari smiled sincerely and the blonde's eyes went wide with excitement, jaw dropping.  _ Oh my god, oh my god!!! _

"Wait… are you serious?"

"Of course! I trade with other vampires every few decades to avoid rumors of immortal curators, tell me when you're ready and you can have a turn." The dark haired vampire looked genuinely happy to do this for Clarke.

"Oh my god, thank you so much, Ontari!" The blonde threw her arms around her with a wide smile and when she pulled away, she noticed that Echo was glaring at the dark haired vampire.  _ Why is she so jealous of Ontari?  _

"No need to thank me. Now please, go wherever you wish and take as much time as you desire in each section. If you have a question, I am happy to answer them." Ontari smiled widely and the blonde ran towards her girlfriend, who was frowning.  _ Oh, c'mon we're supposed to have fun and you look like you're attending a funeral. _

"Why do I get the feeling you don't like Lexa's girlfriend?" Clarke narrowed her eyes at the brunette, who looked almost heartbroken.

"I think she likes you… and I think you like her too." Echo chewed on her bottom lip and the blonde looked at her like she had lost her mind. _ What could possibly make her think that I'm interested in Lexa's girlfriend?? She's old as fuck and not even a tiny threat to you. _

"What?!" Clarke gave the brunette a confused look. 

"You've been spending a lot of time together..."

"I spend  **way** more time with Heda than I do with Ontari and you're not jealous of Lexa." Clarke shook her head in disbelief, unable to understand where this was coming from and ran every interaction through her mind.  _ I'm pretty sure I haven't acted like I'm interested in Ontari. _

"You are a priority to Heda, she truly cares about you and would do anything to make you happy. I trust her with you. I think Ontari wants to be with you, I can see the wheels turning in her head when she looks at you. Like she's thinking about your future, not your present." Echo answered and the whole idea was mind blowing to the blonde. 

"Babe, she's seven hundred years old and I'm a teenager. You have  **absolutely nothing** to worry about." Clarke promised.  _ I couldn't even picture it... _

"For now, but we're vampires. One day a seven hundred year difference won't bother you. How many times do you think our kind falls for another vampire centuries older or younger than them? They spend a few decades together and then move on to the next." The brunette argued and Clarke gave her an incredulous look.  _ Is she messing with me right now? _

"Wait, you're worried I might fall in love with Ontari in a decade or two?" 

"You will, I know it." Echo sighed.

"So you can see the future now?" Clarke crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave Echo a challenging look.

"No, I just know vampires. Ontari can connect with you in a way I can't, she lives and breathes art. I can't give you an open standing invitation to work at the Louvre decades from now." The brunette looked down at the ground and the blonde lifted her chin to meet her eyes.  _ This is exactly why I don't like getting spoiled, people get it in their heads it's the only way to my heart. _

"Echo..."

"I love you, Klark and I'm gonna lose you to fucking Ontari, I just know it. She's too fucking perfect for you." Echo shook her head and the blonde smiled triumphantly, putting her arms around the brunette's waist.  _ Did she just? _

"First of all, I love you too and I'm pretty damned certain that  **you're** perfect for me. Secondly, we can't live life thinking of the what ifs. If you do, you'll be too busy worrying about the future to actually live in the moment in front of you. We are in Paris and we just told each other 'I love you' for the first time. Are you gonna enjoy that for a moment or worry about what might happen thirty years from now?" Clarke smiled wickedly and raised an eyebrow, bringing a smile to Echo's face. 

"I'm going to enjoy it." The brunette replied before pulling Clarke into a kiss and the air filled with groans, causing them both to pull away. All of their friends were standing with arms crossed, looking like they were judging the piece of art behind them. 

"How long have you guys been standing there?!" Clarke demanded, eyes widened when she realized what they were about to do. _ No… don't you dare!!! _

"God, you guys are vomit inducing! Do you see what we have to put up with, Gaia? That's a big F." Octavia sighed and tapped her foot dramatically, as the blonde glared at her friends.  _ Ugh! I hate you guys! _

"I thought it was romantic, A plus." Gaia offered with a smile and Raven rolled her eyes, then groaned.  _ You get brownie points. _

"Please, it was nauseating. The whole jealousy to love declaration in France is old hat, there's like a thousand movies that go that way. Definitely an F." Raven shook her head with disappointment and smirked.  _ I'm going to kill all of them!!! _

"Rae's right, you need better material but it was heart wrenching so…" Bellamy suggested and the blonde balled up her fists.

"Oh shut the fuck up before I eat you!!" Clarke shouted then took Echo's hand and stomped off.  _ So fucking embarrassing... _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Through the Looking Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love reading all of the theories! This chapter will explain some (not all) of your questions from previous chapters. The big reveal won't be for a couple chapters... keep guessing. Hope you enjoy!!

**December 25, 2009**

  
  


"Sorry about them, they can be so childish sometimes." Clarke offered as she and Echo walked into the next section of the museum.  _ I can’t believe we said I love you! This is without question, the happiest I’ve ever been and my friends made fun of it. _

"It's okay, they’re just trying to have fun." The brunette smiled, shaking her head and the blonde rolled her eyes.  _ Nope, they don’t get off that easy! I am giving them one hell of a lecture when you aren’t around. _

"Grading our love declarations isn't…Holy shit!" Clarke came to halt, staring at the wall in front of them with eyes wide and Echo gave her a confused look.  _ What the hell is that? _

"You're an artist Klark, please tell me you've seen the Mona Lisa before." The brunette chuckled and the blonde looked at Echo like she had lost her mind. Before them was a wall that looked almost like a reflective pond, made of a strange metallic liquid.  _ It’s like a water mirror… okay that makes no sense… oh, the Matrix! That’s where I’ve seen this before!! Is it a new piece? How did they make it look like that? _

"It's not the Mona Lisa..." Clarke narrowed her eyes, wondering what could possibly make Echo believe they were looking at anything other than a strange mirror.  _ It looks  _ **_nothing_ ** _ like the Mona Lisa… I thought she knew at least some art. _

"Uh, I'm looking right at it, Klark and it definitely the Mona...what are you doing?" The brunette stopped when Clarke pulled out her cellphone and took a picture.  _ Only one way to prove it. _

"Taking a picture." The blonde replied with a frustrated tone.  _ Damn, apparently saying I love you makes Echo crazy... _

"Why? I can go online and show you a ton of pictures of the Mona Lisa. It’s kinda the most famous painting ever… wait, you’re messing with me aren’t you?" Echo smirked at the blonde, who was staring at the photo on her phone.  _ What in the fuck?  _ There was no mistaking the picture, it was the Mona Lisa and yet she could still see the liquidus mirror with her eyes.  _ Why doesn’t the camera see the mirror?  _

"So weird…" Clarke shook her head and took several more photos, each one showed the famous piece of art.  _ Ok, I know I’m not fucked up… I can’t even get high. _

"Klark you're starting to worry me." Echo gave her a concerned look and the blonde shook her head in disbelief.  _ Am I going crazy right now? _

"Ugh! The fucking Mona Lisa… no offense Griff, but I think she's hella overrated." Raven interjected as she and the others entered the room, causing the blonde to wonder what was going on.  _ She sees the Mona Lisa too? Am I the only one that can see the mirror? _

"That's not the Mona Lisa." Clarke argued, finding a confused look on all of her friends’ faces.  _ I’m not crazy… there’s no painting, only the weird mirror thing. _

"Uh, so what is it, a fake or something?" Bellamy raised an eyebrow, looking as confused as the others.

"You guys really can't see that? It almost looks like you could walk through it..." The blonde was met with a room full of confusion and it was beginning to annoy her. 

"See what, Clarke?" Octavia asked, looking to the others in the group for verification and her friends seemed to be in agreement.  _ Why can’t they see it? I guess there’s only one way to be sure... _

"Klark, I don't think you're supposed to touch…" Roan suggested as Clarke walked forward and held her arm in front of her to test her sanity, finding it exactly as she suspected. Her hand went through the liquid mirror and she withdrew her hand, checking it for any injury.

"Fuck it, you only live once…" The blonde shrugged and stepped through the liquid.

"Earth to Griffin, are you gonna just stare at the painting?" Raven snapped her fingers and the blonde looked backwards to see herself staring at the wall.  _ What in the serious fuck is happening right now?  _ The other blonde shrugged, saying she was just messing with them and all of them followed the fake Clarke out of the room.

"Guys, I’m right here...GUYS!" Clarke shouted and waved her arms, yet they didn’t seem to hear her.  _ Who the hell is pretending to be me?? _

"I'm afraid they cannot hear, nor see you, Klark kom Skaikru. Only you are capable of seeing through spells. I must admit that I am impressed, not even Ontari is aware of the doorway here and she claims to be an expert in magic. We didn't believe you would be able to find this place until you turned eighteen." A woman with dark frizzy hair interjected causing the blonde to prepare to attack, black eyes and fangs dropped.  _ Where am I and who is she? _

"Ok, no offense but who the fuck are you?" Clarke demanded and the woman’s face filled with a smile. The blonde realized that she was in a long, white hallway filled with dozens of doors each a different color, at one end of the hallway was a large room.  _ Like an old library... _

"Apologies, ai laik Luna kom Floukru, I am Heda's advisor in all things magic. Ancient prophecies, magic spells and the history of witchcraft are my specialty." The woman offered her hand to shake, but the blonde would not be so easily placated.  _ There is another me walking around with  _ **_my_ ** _ girlfriend and  _ **_my_ ** _ friends. _

"If you really work for Lexa, why hide in a secret door in the Louvre?" Clarke crossed her arms in front of her and gave the woman a challenging look.  _ I may be a kid, but I’m not dumb. _

"Technically, we aren't in the Louvre, this place exists outside of the real world. There are many doorways to this place and you happened to stumble upon one." Luna shrugged and gestured for the blonde to follow her. They walked together, Clarke ready to attack if needed and entered the room at the end of the hallway. The room was massive, walls filled with books and scrolls. There were tables, with jars filled with a variety of plants and liquids. One table looked almost like an alchemy or chemistry table from an old movie. Contents of glass tubes bubbling and old timey burners.  _ Ok so, maybe I am high… was there something in my blood this morning? _

"Ok… so what are you doing here?" 

"I work here, this is my office. I have been watching you through the doorways for sometime Klark, trying to discover who is responsible for the attacks on you." Luna replied as if it wasn’t shocking for the blonde to walk through a weird mirror and end up in crazyville.  _ Attacks? _

"You mean the videos?"

"Oh, I’m afraid that it is far more than a few videos of you draining the homeless. I must be honest with you, Klark. Lexa does not wish for you to be aware of the danger you are in. She doesn't want you to bear this burden and I respect that, yet I believe that she is doing you a disservice." The woman offered and the blonde crumpled her eyebrows in confusion.  _ What danger? What does she mean it’s more than videos? _

"I don't understand…" Clarke shook her head as the woman took a seat in an armchair and gestured for her to sit.

"Tell me what you remember about your tenth birthday, the year Heda moved to Paris." Luna seemed to be interested in what the blonde had to say as Clarke took a seat across from her.  _ Let’s go straight into the worst time of my life, five seconds after we meet. _

"That was five years ago…"

"Yes I know, what do you recall from it?" The woman crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap in a regal manner, very similar to how Lexa often sat.  _ My tenth birthday was the worst birthday I have ever had… it’s when she left me. I have never felt more alone than I did in those two years. _

"Uh, I don't think I had a birthday party that year, cos Lexa left…"

"She left one week after your birthday, on October 31st, 2004." Luna offered and Clarke ran through all of her memories of the worst two years of her life.  _ Lexa left, mom did experiments and starved me, then I killed people. All I had were my friends, Anya and Nia. _

"I don't… I honestly just remember her leaving. I was pretty traumatized." The blonde sighed and it was the truth, she’d never been so broken than when Lexa said she was leaving.  _ I don’t think I could ever go through losing her like that again, my whole world changed. _

"And after Lexa left Polis, did anyone discuss your birthday party with you?" Luna narrowed her eyes and scanned the blonde closely as she shook her head.  _ I don’t even remember having a party... _

"No, everyone was just mad at Lexa and then my mom got weird. Why do you want to know?" Clarke answered and gave the woman a confused look. Luna stood up, then walked to a table that was covered in books and papers. The dark haired woman rummaged through the mess, then returned with a thick card in her hand.

"You did have a birthday party that year, Heda invited every witch and vampire in Polis to her mansion to celebrate it. As far as we can tell, over one hundred people attended the party and yet none seem to recall being there." Luna handed the blonde a paper invitation to Clarke's tenth birthday party and Clarke read it silently.

_ Heda Leksa kom Trikru invites you to attend the tenth birthday celebration of Klark kom Skaikru. 7 pm to 12 am, October 24, 2004 at the Polis Royal Mansion. RSVP to Indra kom Trikru or Jeik kom Skaikru. Presents are not expected, but appreciated. _

“I don’t…” Clarke shook her head in disbelief, trying to somehow recall the party.  _ I remember every other birthday party before and after my tenth, not this. Is it because I was so upset about Lexa leaving me? _

"There are no photos, no videos and the security footage at Heda's mansion was deleted from the 23rd through the 31st of October 2004. Even camera footage from stop lights, Lexa’s company and Polis Academy has been deleted for that entire week. Following your birthday, several people 'got weird' as you say. Heda abandoned you and ignored you for two years, which she would  **never** do. Your mother can not recall why she starved and performed experiments on you, only that she did. When Lexa confronted Anya as to why she did not report the abuse to her or your father, she truly believed that she had. The people that love you the most, brought you harm and yet none can recall the reasoning behind their actions. Can you tell me what would cause them to do such a thing?" Luna raised a questioning eyebrow and the blonde gasped at the realization.  _ No pictures, no videos, no memories… that can only mean... _

"A spell."

"Yes, Klark. Someone wanted to separate you from Heda so they could harm you. If Lexa had stayed in America, she would have felt your pain and stopped your mother long before you were forced to kill those people. Heda met Ontari the day before your tenth birthday and one week later, left you behind without hesitation. Lexa has never fallen in love so quickly, she is very pragmatic and always thinks her actions through." The woman explained and the blonde knew she was correct.  _ No one could understand why Lexa would just up and leave like that. Mom never believed that she had done something wrong. Because they were under a spell… wait, there’s a common factor here... _

"You think Ontari had something to do with it, don’t you? Like a love spell of some kind?" Clarke looked to Luna for an answer and the woman shrugged.

"We are not certain. For now, Heda is allowing things to play out so we may discover who is behind all of this.” Luna shook her head and the blonde narrowed her eyes.  _ Why me? What did I ever do? _

“Who would want to hurt me and why??”

“I have orders from Heda to keep certain things from you, but I can tell you that you are a rarity. A vampire that can see through magic and one day, you will be able to break even the most powerful spells. You have already shown some ability in that regard, though you may not realize it. Heda visited America three years ago and whatever spell she was under was broken after spending a day with you at your home. She called me that very night and ordered me to look into her sudden need to leave America to move to Paris. Whoever is responsible has bewitched at least one hundred vampires and witches, that is no small feat." Luna gave her a moment to let what she said to sink in and the blonde closed her eyes tightly.  _ They made Lexa leave and mom hurt me. If they can control that many people and wipe their memories... _

"In other words, I can't trust anyone." Clarke offered and Luna nodded her agreement.

"Only Lexa, the spell placed on her seems to have no hold any longer and we believe that is because of you." The woman replied and Clarke already knew the reason why Heda was no longer bewitched.  _ Luna said that it stopped when she spent time with me, Lexa said our bond is stronger when we are together... _

"Because she's my sire and we have a blood bond."

"Yes, Klark. The others in your life have shown to have moments of clarity, though it does not last. Lexa is the only person that can remember that someone is using magic against you. Your father and Anya forget everytime Lexa mentions it to them. Heda has decided to stop discussing it with them, because she believes they are still being controlled." Luna informed her and the blonde’s heart sunk.  _ My friends, my family, even Anya… whoever is doing this is powerful. _

"Can I trust you?" Clarke raised an eyebrow and Luna sighed, shaking her head.

"I cannot guarantee that I have not been tainted somehow, therefore it is possible that you cannot trust me either. You have plans to spend the day with Heda tomorrow, she will be angry with me for telling you all of this but I do not want you to conceal it from her. If I have been tainted, Lexa must know immediately. At the moment, I am the only person that Lexa trusts and if I am being controlled..." The woman trailed off, likely realizing the possibility of her own mind betraying her to an enemy.

"How will I know if you’re tainted?"

"I will forget this conversation, just as everyone else has forgotten that there are witches behind the plot against you." Luna shrugged and the blonde shook her head in frustration.  _ If I can only trust Lexa, then I’m not safe with anyone but her. Anyone else might try to hurt me... _

"Why doesn't Lexa just come back to Polis then?"

"Heda must convince those responsible that the plot against you is going as planned, or risk a repeat of five years ago. The original spell has been broken, but if they realize that, they will try again. If Lexa’s relationship with Ontari is part of that plan, it must be maintained until the plot is revealed." Luna explained and the blonde couldn’t imagine what that must be like for Lexa.  _ Pretending to be in love with someone, acting like nothing is going on when you know someone is trying to control you… I’m not certain I could do that. _

"So she's trying to protect me by staying away." Clarke sighed, realizing that Lexa was doing all of this for her and the woman nodded her agreement.  _ Why do I have to be so fucking nosy? I could have just gone on enjoying my vacation in an ignorant bliss. That’s what Lexa was trying to do by not telling me and now I’m fucked. _

"Yes. Gaia and Aden were in London when things went into motion, so Heda is sending them to protect you. I should warn you that if Ontari is involved, they are both likely bewitched like everyone else. Your other friends from home are either bewitched or a part of this, be very careful what you say to them." Luna responded and the blonde stared off into the distance for several moments, considering what she had just learned.  _ I can’t trust Echo or Roan, not even Rae, Bell or O. No one at school, Luna already said my parents and Anya are bewitched. Nia probably is too, she always attended my birthday parties. Luna isn’t sure if I can even trust her. Fuck! There is absolutely no one I can trust but Lexa. _

"That's why Lexa doesn't want me to know, she's afraid I'll go crazy trying to decide who I can and can't trust. My parents, my friends, my mentors are all either involved or being used." Clarke wanted nothing more than to scream, knowing the truth of her situation.  _ Lexa was trying to save me from the pain of this and I just had to walk through the mirror…  _ Luna knelt down in front of the blonde and set her hand over Clarke’s, giving her grief stricken look. 

"Yes and I am so very sorry to give you this burden to carry, Klark kom Skaikru. Let's get you back to the Louvre, your friends are under the impression you have been with them this whole time." The woman stood and offered her hand to help the blonde stand, who remembered the other version of her.

“There was another me..." The blonde replied as they walked back towards the hallway and the woman nodded.

"The doorways are bewitched, you will find they have no memory of you walking through the doorway. As far as they are concerned you never left and the moment you return, the other you will disappear. If any of your friends suggest magic is involved in the plot against you, be very cautious what you tell them. If they are not under the spell...” Luna suggested and Clarke took the next logical step, though it broke her heart to even consider it.  _ What if one of them... _

"You're saying that one or more of my friends could be behind this?" The blonde looked to Luna for an answer, finding her uncertain.  _ Of course she doesn’t know, she just said I can’t trust anyone but Lexa. _

"It is a possibility that we are considering. That door leads to Heda's office in Paris, the one there leads to her office in Polis and this one is her mansion in Polis. The last door on the left, leads to the basement of your house." Luna pointed out each door and Clarke scrunched her eyebrows together.  _ Basement? _

"We don't have a basement."

"I think you will find that you do, if you look carefully and not even your father is aware of it. Heda asked me to create a doorway when she purchased the house long before your birth. She had planned for your father to take my place one day. Remember those doors, Klark. If you are ever in danger, you can go from America to Paris in a matter of seconds, using this hallway. Go directly to Lexa if that happens, if you open the door you can see who is on the other side without them seeing you. Wait until she is alone, you will be safe in this plane in the meantime. Magic spells are broken the moment you enter a doorway. Farewell for now, Klark kom Skaikru. I am certain that we will see each other again." Luna turned to face the blonde, who took several deep breaths and closed her eyes.  _ Why the fuck did I have to go through the mirror? I could have just been a fifteen year old in love and now everyone is a suspect. _

“Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim, Luna kom Floukru. (May we meet again.)” Clarke outstretched her hand and the woman shook, then turned to return to her office.  _ Great, now what am I going to do?  _ The blonde stepped through the doorway and was immediately surrounded by her friends, who seemed to be in the middle of a discussion. Clarke looked closely at each of her friends and lastly Echo, now skeptical of their intentions.  _ I can’t trust them…  _

“What do you think, Griff?” Octavia gave her a smirk and the blonde realized she had no idea what they were talking about, shaking her head.

“Sorry?” Clarke asked, only to receive a room full of eyerolls and shaking heads.

“Jesus, Griff! Are you that spun by the whole I love you drama, cos it’s like you’re in another world!” Raven shook her head in frustration and the blonde did her best to pull herself together, smiling at Echo. 

“Sorry, too busy looking at this one! Can’t focus on anything else...” Clarke plastered on a fake smile and the brunette smiled back, obviously unaware of the blonde’s deflection. 

“I’m totally okay with that, beautiful.” Echo smiled and pulled the blonde into a kiss, which was now completely different than ten minutes ago.  _ How the fuck has Lexa faked this for three years with Ontari? Guess we’ll be talking about something very different tomorrow. Instead of asking about having sex with girls, how do you fake it? Fuck my life!! _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for leaving comments, I love hearing from you! Shit just went sideways and as you can imagine, Clexa will start getting closer.


	9. Quiet before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is 100% Clexa

**December 26, 2009**

  
  
  


"Min yu op. Klark, you're up early I didn't expect you for a few..." Lexa stood from her desk with a kind smile as Clarke walked across the room and hugged the brunette. The way that Lexa immediately wrapped her arms around the blonde in an almost protective manner, made Clarke feel safer than she had felt in years. _ You're the only person I know for a fact, truly cares about me.  _ "What happened, did you get into a fight with one of your friends? You've been upset since yesterday, but I didn't know if you wanted to tell me." The brunette asked with concern in her voice and Clarke only hugged her more tightly. 

"I know… Luna told me. Why you left me, my mom, all of it." The blonde whispered and the brunette pulled out of the hug to meet her eyes.

"Klark…" 

"Can we get the hell out of here?" Clarke suggested and the brunette nodded.

"Of course, is there somewhere in particular that you would like to go?" Lexa asked with a soft smile and the blonde honestly didn't care, as long as...

"Some place quiet and as far away from other people as possible, no interruptions." Clarke suggested and the brunette smiled proudly.

"I know just the place." Lexa replied and led the blonde to the back of the mansion, into a garage filled with at least a dozen luxury cars. "Which one would you like to take? It will be about a two hour drive." The brunette asked and Clarke pointed to a fancy black sedan, then got into the passenger seat. Thankfully, Lexa sensed that the blonde needed some time to think and the two sat in mostly silence as the brunette drove through the French countryside. After slightly over two hours, they pulled into a driveway in front of a large country house, surrounded by massive vineyard. The house was small for Lexa's usual standard, only slightly larger than Clarke's house back in the States. It had a quaint feel to it, far less formal and definitely away from people. All she could hear or see for a mile was plant and animal life.  _ True quiet. Just us and nature. _

"This is really beautiful Lexa." Clarke smiled, finding herself finally relaxing and a sense of relief washed over her.  _ I'm safe here, no mind games or spells... _

"I bought it a few years ago, I come here when I need to be alone. The next closest person is the caretaker, he lives alone in a cottage three miles east of here and tends to the vines. He takes the weekends off, but even during the week I rarely see him." The brunette replied, seeming to also be at peace in this place and led Clarke to two patio chairs.

"Sounds right up my alley, maybe I should get a vineyard." The blonde plopped in one of the chairs and took several minutes to just enjoy this place in comfortable silence.  _ I almost want to stay here forever… away from all of the bullshit. _ "How have you done this for three years? I feel like I might explode after twelve hours of not knowing if my friends are my friends or my enemies." Clarke shook her head and the brunette sighed, then gave the blonde a grief stricken look.

"Luna had no right to tell you about all of this."

"I'm glad she did. You shouldn't have to go through this alone Lexa, especially because I'm the reason for all of this. So… how do you do it?" Clarke looked to Lexa for some secret way for this not to be the end of the world.  _ I can't trust anyone… I spent the entire night watching Echo sleep, trying to see if she might attack me. We go from I love you to you might want to kill me. _

"It has not been easy, Klark. As you said, there are days that I feel like I might explode. That is why I did not want you to have to carry this burden." Lexa looked so heartbroken that the blonde knew the truth of her situation and Clarke couldn't help but attempt to look on the bright side.  _ There's gotta be something good from all of this... _

"At least now you have someone that you know you can trust and knows how you feel." The blonde smirked.

"True." The brunette smiled widely and nodded her head.

"So, how do I do this, without tipping them off? Being with a fake girlfriend and fake friends, now that I know the truth." Clarke raised a questioning eyebrow and Lexa sighed.  _ You've done this for three years… you must be an expert by now. _

"I try to act like everything is normal and watch everyone around me very closely. I pay close attention to the things they say and do, then try to make sense of it. When it gets overwhelming, I come here because it is the only place I can be myself. No pretending or speculation, just me decompressing from all of the bullshit." The brunette finished and two women gazed at the vineyard for several moments in silence before the blonde spoke.

"What was it like... when the spell broke? Like, how did you know it was a spell?" Clarke narrowed her eyes and the brunette answered without skipping a beat.

"I left you and ignored you. I would  **never** do that to you, not ever. That's how I knew it was a spell and if I ever attempt to do such a thing again, I promise that it isn't real. You are more important to me than anyone, Klark and you always will be." Lexa made a point to meet the blonde's eyes as she spoke, so she knew she was being sincere and Clarke chuckled.  _ She's so much like Anya sometimes… not grumpy, just that whole I'm so strong it would weaken me to admit I have feelings. _

"Is it a vampire thing?"

"Sorry?"

"Never saying I love you. I hear it between vampire spouses and children, never a friend. I've been Anya's seken for… eight years and she's never once said that she loves me. I know that she does, but she never actually says it. She just gives me the grumpy 'I'm yelling because I love you' lecture without actually saying it. Is it a vampire thing?" Clarke looked to the brunette for an answer and could feel something similar to embarrassment from her sire.  _ She must not have ever thought about that. _

"It's… rare among our kind, outside of a lover or family. I suppose it is how we learned to adapt to immortality, we so often lose those we love that we grow cold to it. We show it other ways, though perhaps not in the way we should. The saying about teaching an old dog new tricks is very true for vampires." Lexa smirked and the blonde shot her a questioning glance.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes." The brunette answered without hesitation and Clarke could feel that Lexa meant it.

"Do you love Ontari?"

"No." The brunette replied and shook her head, again without hesitation.

" **Did** you love her… before the spell broke?" The blonde asked and Lexa took a moment to think before answering, almost as if she had never considered it.

"It felt like I did." The brunette gulped and shook her head, seemingly berating herself.

"Now you have to pretend that you do love her so you can protect me..." It was more of a statement of facts than a question, the entire thing was almost impossible to fathom.  _ No one is really them around me… except her.  _ "Does she love you?" Clarke looked up to find the brunette shrugging and shaking her head.

"Ontari says that she does, but I am not certain."

"Just like there's no way to know if Echo really loves me." The blonde grumbled and Lexa reached out, setting her hand on top of Clarke's.

"She seems to love you and you seem to love her." The brunette gave her a sincere smile and she was right.  _ I do love her and I'm pretty sure that she loves me but... _

"I do, but… I don't know if it's real. What if you it's like you and Ontari? Either they pretend to love us because they're in on it, or a spell has convinced them they are." Clarke shook her head in frustration and Lexa gave her a reassuring smile.

"Echo looks at you like she wants to protect you at all costs and I respect that. In my experience Klark, it means love." The brunette offered and Clarke wanted to believe her, though the odds weren't in her favor.  _ The reality of the situation is I have no way to know if my relationship with Echo is real or not. _

"How did it make you feel, realizing you spent two years convinced you were in love when you weren't?" 

"It was difficult...  **very** difficult." Lexa sighed and looked at the ground.  _ What if Echo is a good person, but is under a spell like my mom? Would it be like waking up from a bad dream? Would she ever actually consider being my girlfriend without a spell or a job as a spy? _

"If Ontari isn't involved and was just bewitched, would she still want to be with you? Knowing that it was a lie created to make her feel something that wasn't real?" Clarke asked having to know if her girlfriend's feelings could possibly be real and if there was any future with Echo after this.

"Probably not. I felt extremely betrayed when I realized the truth. Like I was... assaulted." The brunette's face said it all and she knew they didn't just hurt Clarke with this spell, they hurt Lexa as well.  _ Like she was assaulted...how will Echo feel? How will I feel? _

"So how do you do it? If you know you don't love Ontari and that there's a very good chance she's either in on it or bewitched… how do you have sex with her?"

"Klark, under  **no circumstances** will you do that with Echo. I am an adult and..." Lexa sat upright and gave the blonde a stern look, like she did when she gave her men orders.  _ That's just it… if I hadn't found the doorway, I probably would have had sex with Echo last night. _

"I kinda have to Lexa, we were actually planning on doing it on this trip." Clarke sighed defeatedly and shook her head as she looked at the ground.  _ Why did I have to walk through the fucking mirror? I could be so unbelievably happy and in love right now. _

"No, absolutely not." Lexa lifted the blonde's chin and shook her head adamantly.

"I can't avoid it Lexa, even if it's not on this trip!! We literally said I love you five minutes before I learned the truth. I can't break up with her all of a sudden, it would be too fishy… to everyone. I've been completely wrapped up in Echo for two months and it's kinda expected of me now." Clarke sunk back in her chair and closed her eyes tightly.  _ Echo will either think I fell into her trap or hate me for going through with it. Do they think I'm under a love spell? Is that what they tried and didn't work...or did it work? _

"Klark, you  **will not** sleep with Echo to keep her thinking everything is normal. I won't allow you to do that to yourself." Lexa's voice was calm and caring, yet it did nothing to ease the blonde's nerves.

"It doesn't take a brain surgeon to come to the conclusion that  **both** of us have Azgeda girlfriends and  **they** are responsible for all of this." Clarke grumbled and the brunette shook her head in disagreement.

"We cannot be certain of that, Klark. It is quite possible that they are being used and are meant to take the fall for this. Anyone from the outside would assume that it's them and that's what makes me question it. If you are going to go through the trouble of bewitching more than one hundred vampires and witches, you will not make yourself the main suspect. If I am wrong, then I will be thoroughly embarrassed to have succumbed to such a foe." Lexa replied and the blonde realized there was only one way out of this mess.  _ Fix it. _

"So how do we put a stop to this? Break the spell?" Clarke sat upright, determined to find a way around playing house like Lexa had the last three years and the brunette sighed.

"I don't believe that we can, Klark. So many people seem to be used or involved that I think we have no choice but to wait for their next move. I was concerned they might try again when I decided to split time between Paris and Polis. So far no one has made an attempt, suggesting that they had prepared for it. Whoever did this knows that you are a priority to me and that I might snap out of it somewhat in your presence." Lexa explained and the blonde narrowed her eyes.

"Luna said that I could break spells…"

"Not until you are eighteen and it is likely that the endgame will not be revealed until then." The brunette shook her head and yet the blonde was only more confused.  _ Seriously, what is this all about...why me? _

"Why? What makes me so special that I can see through and break spells?"

"Klark…" Lexa pinched the bridge of her nose, as if fighting a headache.

"Lexa, I am surrounded by people I can't trust and as much as hate that, I'm also glad for it. I can't imagine how heartbroken I would be if I learned all of this the hard way. What if it is a friend or Echo or even Anya? If I didn't know the truth, I don't think I would ever recover from the betrayal and I'd probably never trust anyone ever again. So if there's something you aren't telling me and it has to do with why I'm a target, I need to know!" Clarke gave the brunette a stern look and it seemed to frustrate her somewhat.

"It has everything to do with it, but telling you takes something away from you that I refuse to take." Lexa replied, seeming adamant and yet Clarke didn't see the point.  _ What haven't they taken already? _

"What could possibly be worse than knowing that someone I trust and love could be trying to hurt me?" The blonde demanded and Lexa gave her a desperate look.  _ What doesn't she want me to know? _

"It will make you feel like you don't have a choice, Klark. Like you have no say in how your life will turn out, who you become, what you were meant to be, who you love." The brunette was almost begging the blonde to stay in the dark and Clarke stood up, glaring at Lexa. _ I'm sick of being in the fucking dark!!! _

"I already don't have a choice! Everyone in my life is either in on it or being used! I can't fight whoever is doing this if I don't know why someone would go to all of this trouble. So please, just tell me what all of this is about!" The blonde shouted, waving her arms angrily and Lexa buried her face in her hands for several moments.

"There's a prophecy about you." The brunette offered, breaking the tense silence between the two vampires.

"Prophecy? Like I'm meant to do something one day?" Clarke scrunched her eyebrows together and the brunette nodded in affirmation. 

"Yes."

"What am I supposed to do?" The blonde looked at Lexa in shock.  _ A prophecy about me? Why? _

"Klark, beja… it's too soon for us to discuss this and I need you to trust me." The brunette begged and the sincerity in her voice caused Clarke to deflate.  _ She was protecting me this whole time… suffering like I am for three years and I'm yelling at her for trying to protect me. _

"I do trust you, Lexa. You've spent three years pretending to love someone and being friends with people that you know aren't real, all to protect me. Even now, with you not wanting to tell me the truth, is a way of protecting me and I know that. Is it bad... whatever it is I'm supposed to do?" Clarke sat back down, her mind running through the possibilities.  _ Me… a prophecy about me. I'm just a regular person... _

"To some, perhaps. Klark, I really don't want you to focus on what you will do years from now. You are still young and a vampire, it may not come to pass for centuries. The prophecy itself is 1100 years old and when I first heard the prophecy, I spent many centuries looking for clues. I eventually gave up on waiting for something to happen and I'm glad that I did. You cannot live your life worrying or thinking about what the future holds for you, that is not a way to live." Lexa shook her head, giving the blonde a remorseful look and Clarke rolled her eyes.

"Funny, I said exactly that five minutes before my world turned upside down. So we just need to figure out who knows about this prophecy and stop them." The blonde suggested, trying to be hopeful and deflated with a single glance at the brunette.  _ Obviously, she's already considered it... _

"Every single adult in your life knows about the prophecy, Klark. With the exception of your mother, all of them knew long before you were born." Lexa replied seriously and Clarke let out a deep breath, closing her eyes.  _ They knew before I was born? What is it that I'm going to do? _

"So it literally could be anyone and everyone." The blonde grumbled and opened her eyes to meet Lexa's green, finding them sad once again.

"I'm so sorry Klark, I was trying to save you from this."

"I guess I'd rather know, than be in the dark. Are you ever going to tell what I'm supposed to do?" Clarke gave the brunette another chance to answer and saw there was no point.  _ She isn't going to give in on this, whatever it is must scare her. Or maybe it will scare me. _

"Give it some time, try to focus on the now and not the future. I will make you a deal, I will let you read the prophecy when you turn eighteen and then I will answer any questions you may have. In the meantime, I must ask you not to discuss this with anyone, adult or otherwise." Lexa responded and the blonde nodded in agreement.  _ Guess I have to wait... maybe it's not a bad thing, my mind's already going a million miles a minute. _

"Deal. Can we just stay here for a while? It's so beautiful and quiet here." Clarke asked and Lexa smiled, nodding her head slowly.

"Of course, we can stay as long as you would like." The two women spent the rest of the day pretending like they weren't surrounded by a conspiracy to harm them. Lexa happened to have a room inside with art supplies, the blonde thought to ask if it was for Ontari and thought better of it. Clarke spent several hours sketching every detail of the vineyard and even one of Lexa. Eventually Clarke talked the brunette into teaching her how to drive and appreciated how patient Lexa was. Even when the blonde came inches from ramming the car into a tree, Lexa remained calm and seemed to be enjoying it somewhat. By the time the sky grew dark, they decided it was time to head back to the mansion and this time they spent the ride chit chatting about life as normal. Laughing together at stories of Anya, Clarke's friends and even Jake as a young boy. When they pulled into the garage, it was clear that they both felt much better and could forget the hellish situation, if only for a day.  _ We can get through this together, I know we can. _

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is almost finished and you may have to wait an additional chapter for the Mastermind reveal...it's getting really long😊


	10. So Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments! I hope you enjoy...
> 
> VIOLENCE WARNING

**May 28, 2010**

  
  
  


"You got us a hotel room?" Clarke’s eyes went wide as Echo pulled her car into a parking spot and the brunette shrugged with a smile.  _ Shit, she’s planning on us… dammit, Clarke you should have expected this! _

"Yeah, why not? It's prom and we're in love, just you and me… I fucked this up, didn’t I?" Echo’s smile dropped after a glance at the blonde and Clarke gulped nervously. As soon as the blonde returned from her day with Lexa in the French countryside, she hit the brakes on her relationship with Echo. Clarke knew that Lexa was right. If she slept with her girlfriend, she would regret it and would never forgive herself if Echo was under a spell.  _ Lexa said she felt like she had been assaulted, someone forced her to love Ontari. What if they did the same to Echo? _

"I just… don't think I'm ready for us to, you know..." The blonde sighed, not certain how to get out of this without hurting her girlfriend’s feelings.  _ This isn’t fair to Echo, she probably has nothing to do with any of this and it feels like I’m punishing her. _

"Klark, did I do something wrong?" The brunette scanned Clarke’s face closely and the blonde closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.  _ This is what normal kids our age do and I don’t want it to be tainted by magic.  _

"No, the hotel is sweet I'm just…" Clarke shook her head and the brunette stroked her face gently with her thumb, then tucked a stray hair behind the blonde’s ear.  _ She’s so gentle and loving towards me, that’s what makes this worse. _

"I love you, Klark. If you're not ready, I won't push you but I need you to tell me if I did something so I can fix it. We were in Paris and everything was going great, then you froze. We love each other and everything changed after that, you've been… distant. Everytime we talk about it or get close to taking the next step, you say you're not ready. I’m okay with that, I really am. I know I can come across harsh sometimes and if I say or do something to hurt you somehow, please tell me. Have I?" Echo looked like she was preparing to receive bad news and it made Clarke feel so guilty.  _ We made plans to sleep together in Paris and she’s been so understanding, even though I did a complete reversal in my attitude in one day. _

"No, absolutely not. You’ve been perfect, babe." The blonde shook her head adamantly and the brunette narrowed her eyes.

"Do you... want to break up with me?" Echo asked nervously, looking at the floorboard of the car and the blonde reached out and lifted the brunette’s chin.  _ God, she’s so afraid I don’t love her and I do. I hate that I’m hurting her. _

"No, I don't. I just… I don't think I'm ready to have sex with anyone, not just you. I'm just afraid if we take the next step, I will regret it and that's not fair to you. I’m holding you back, you deserve someone that isn’t afraid to..." Clarke stopped when the brunette placed a finger over her lips and shook her head in disagreement.

"Klark, you are not holding me back. There’s no rule that says we have to have sex on prom night and I should not have assumed. It was moronic on my part, I didn’t consider that it might upset you and I’m so sorry that I made you uncomfortable. We can just hang out and sleep tonight, no pressure." Echo gave the blonde a sincere smile and it was so hard not to admit to everything. _If I knew I could trust her, this would be so different._ _She’s been so patient. Octavia and Roan have been sleeping together since our last night in Paris. Raven and Bellamy have had this weird no strings attached relationship since the trip. The two people that went to Paris in love have done nothing but cuddle or have the occasional make out session. I’m a horrible person._

"But there  **is** pressure, that's part of the problem. Not from you, you’ve been so great and understanding. You deserve a girlfriend without baggage… I just… I don't want to make you think I don’t want to sleep with you, because I do eventually want to. I'm so sorry, Echo. You went to all this trouble and spent the money on a hotel..." Clarke replied with a defeated tone and Echo pulled the blonde into her arms, holding her closely.  _ God, she’s so perfect and loving and sweet… I’m just the asshole that’s leading her on. _

"Hey, it's okay Klark. I love you and I  **never** want to make you feel uncomfortable. Just because our friends are going at it like rabbits, doesn’t mean we have to. We’re vampires, we have an eternity and I’ll wait until you’re ready. I promise that I won't bring it up or pressure you again. When you are ready, let me know and then we'll go from there, deal?" The brunette pulled away with a smile and Clarke’s face lit up with a smile as well.  _ I don’t deserve her. _

"Deal. Thank you for understanding."

"I'd be a shitty girlfriend if I didn't and you would have my permission to kick my ass if I do anything to hurt you. C’mon, there’s cable and I’m pretty sure it’s your turn to decide what we watch." Echo smirked and the blonde gave her a long kiss, smiling triumphantly as she pulled back. 

“You’re damned right it is!” Clarke smirked and hopped out the car, then followed the brunette to their room.  _ I love her so much and I really hope this isn’t all a spell. She’s just so perfect! _

  
  
  
  
  


***********************************************************

**June 4, 2010**

  
  
  


"Ms. Griffin. I thought you'd be out with your friends somewhere, celebrating the end of school." Mr. Kane offered, looking very surprised to see the blonde in the art workshop and Clarke didn’t blame him. Most of the students left hours ago, ready to begin their summer vacation and be done with school.  _ I’m just the dork that’s taking advantage of the peace and quiet. _

"I wasn't in the mood for a party, figured I'd paint instead." Clarke shrugged as the principal examined her painting and smiled proudly. On the canvas was a battlefield, an ancient one and it’s central figure had warpaint in a rorschach type design. Like running tears down the side of his or her face. The blonde wasn’t entirely certain where the image came from and hoped that he didn’t ask.  _ I just keep dreaming about this person, I don’t even know if it’s a man or woman… just the warpaint. _

“You really are talented, Ms. Griffin. Is this something from your history classes?” Kane raised an eyebrow and Clarke honestly didn’t know the answer.  _ Maybe it is… something I read and forgot about it. Mom always said that dreams are just subconscious crap that needs to get unloaded. _

“Mmm-hmm.” The blonde responded and hoped he wouldn’t question it further, luckily he changed the subject.

"Forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I couldn't help but notice you've been distancing yourself from your friends lately. I've only seen you eat lunch with them a handful of times in the last year and Mrs. Green mentioned seeing you crying in the bathroom yesterday. I know it’s not very... cool to talk to teachers, but several of us are beginning to worry about you. If you don’t want to talk about it, I completely understand but if you ever need someone to talk to…” Kane offered and the blonde appreciated the offer, knowing that Kane was one of her father’s friends. _He’s always been nice to me, even though he keeps it professional_ _at dad’s poker nights._

"I just… kind of feel so alone lately..."

"Why? Did something happen with your friends, or Mr. Collins? I know he has been a thorn in your side for several years and if he is bullying you Clarke, I need to know." The principal gave her a concerned look and leaned on a nearby work table, giving her his full attention.  _ He’s trying to help me and I can’t tell him the truth, keep it vague.  _

"I can handle Finn, thanks. I feel like there's this pressure to be like everyone else and I try to be, but it feels... superficial. I don't know, maybe I'm just… going crazy or something." The blonde shook her head and looked to the principal, finding him confused.  _ See, this is why I don’t talk to people when they ask what’s wrong. I can’t tell them that everyone is under a spell and someone really powerful is trying to hurt me. _

"Pressure? This isn't about drugs, is it?" Kane narrowed his eyes and the blonde could not help but chuckle.  _ I wish I was on drugs, maybe this shit wouldn’t feel so bad. Rae, O and Bell have been partying like rockstars lately. I can’t even get drunk or high, other than the tingling feeling I get when I have too much blood. _

"I'm a vampire, drugs are useless on me. I’m not gonna lie, it sucks not being able to even get fucked up at least once." Clarke smiled and Kane blushed, thinking better of his choice of words. 

"Right, sorry… I suppose it’s natural to assume teenagers are on drugs, when you’re a high school principal. I forget sometimes that you aren’t human, being Skaikru and all." The principal shook his head and the blonde found that she was glad that he still thought of her as human.  _ It’s nice, people thinking I’m normal.. _

"It's okay, Mr Kane. It's actually refreshing to be treated like a normal kid, even my friends think I'm weird lately. At my age, I’m supposed to go to wild parties and have tons of sex, yet I’d rather just stay at home. I’m afraid if I do something stupid, there will be a video on the internet before I get home. I can’t help but wonder, though… it was years ago, why wait until high school to post them?" Clarke raised a questioning eyebrow, not really expecting for Kane to have an answer and yet secretly hoped that he did.  _ I keep going over it and over it. Cast a spell to make Lexa leave, mom starved me and someone just so happened to be waiting to record me killing someone. Then they wait for years without a peep, only to suddenly start posting videos. Why now? _

"I believe that it was meant to cause you pain, Clarke. You **are** **not** responsible for what happened, your mother is and yet you blame yourself. I think the person or people behind the videos know that you are a good person and they want you to feel alone. I’m so sorry that we haven’t found them yet and I hate that you are going through this." The principal’s face suggested that he blamed himself somewhat for not being able to stop it and it warmed Clarke’s heart. _He feels like he let me down._

"Well, it's working. I'm honestly just waiting for the bottom to drop you know? Lexa lives in Paris half the year, mom's wherever she is and dad is hardly home. I try to make the most of the time I get with them, but when they are gone I feel empty. The only thing left are my friends and if they leave, I'll have nothing. I think that's what scares me, losing them too and I've been pushing them away so I won't get hurt." As Clarke spoke, she realized that she was part of the problem and berated herself for not realizing it sooner.  _ The bad guy is playing mind games and I’m just feeding into it. They want me to feel crazy, to isolate myself and I’m doing their job for them. It’s just so hard not knowing who to trust... _

"You've had to deal with so much, Clarke. I don't blame you for being afraid to lose the people that you love. I also know that you have friends that have loved you since you were kids and I doubt anything will make them turn their backs on you. Don't let whoever is doing this to you get you down, or they've already won." Kane gave her a kind smile and the blonde realized that this talk actually made her feel better.  _ Stop worrying about who is or is not your friend, try to enjoy life. By reclusing, I’m just isolating myself more. _

"You're right… thanks, Mr. Kane." Clarke smiled widely, more than she had since leaving Paris and if she didn’t know that the principal wouldn’t approve, she would hug him.  _ Who would have thought Principal Kane could make me feel better about myself? _

"For what?"

"Just listening without judging me or thinking I'm crazy for not enjoying high school." The blonde replied and Kane gave her a kind smile.

"High school is rough for just about everyone. You are strong and I know you'll get through this. You have friends and family that want to help you, let them. If you can remember how loved you are, you may not feel the pain as much." Kane advised her and the blond smiled in return.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I hate to cut this short, but I was actually trying to lock up and begin packing for my own vacation. My wife and I are going to Hawaii for the summer, we leave tomorrow. Do you want me to walk you out?” The principal raised an eyebrow and the blonde realized how late it was.  _ Dammit, Anya and Gustus are outside waiting for me. I’m gonna get a lecture about not letting them know I was staying late. _

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Here we are. Remember what I said, Clarke. Don’t give up hope.” Kane gave her a kind smile as they exited the main door and the blonde shook her head.  _ He’s been so nice to me and was just what I needed to get my mind right. _

“I won’t, thanks ag… Mom? What are you…” Clarke stood with wide eyes as her mother approached, looking ragged and holding a handgun.  _ Why is she here and what the hell is she doing with a gun? I haven’t seen her in months... _

“Woah, Mrs. Griffin please… put the gun down. We can…” Kane threw his hands in the air and had the same diplomatic tone he used to stop fights in school, yet it was clear that Abby could not be reasoned with.

“I should have done this years ago…” Abby replied as she raised the gun, pointing it at Clarke and as she pulled the trigger, Kane jumped in front of the bullet. 

“Mom, NOOO! Oh, god...Mr. Kane, you’re okay… you’re gonna be okay.” The blonde screamed and dropped to the ground to help the principal, who had a bullet in his abdomen. Abby aimed the gun at her daughter again and pulled the trigger. The blonde tried to flash out the way, but was hit in the shoulder. Her veins were suddenly flooded with a burning cold, like something was running through her bloodstream and she looked up to find Echo approaching at a blistering speed.  _ No!! _

“Klark!” The brunette shouted, as she came to a halt and turned towards the doctor to attack. The blonde began to feel dizzy and ebony lines began spreading through her veins from the point the bullet hit.  _ Oh god, it’s poison of some kind!!  _

“Echo, run! NO!!” Clarke shouted as a warning, Abby shot three times at the approaching vampire and Echo fell to the ground in a lump.  _ NO!!!  _ Without a thought, the blonde rushed to her girlfriend’s side and found her convulsing uncontrollably.“Echo, stay with me… please. I don’t understand… why isn’t she healing? What did you do?!?! WHAT DID YOU DO, MOM??” The blonde’s eyes were black, fangs dropped and her rage seemed to ease the freezing pain of the poison in her bloodstream. 

“KLARK!!!” Both Anya and Gustus’ shouts filled the air, soon joined by the sound of more gunshots. It wasn’t until now, that Clarke realized that her mother was not alone. Five vampires opened fire with rifles aimed at the blonde’s two bodyguards and she had to warn them.  _ Vampires don’t fear bullets, they won’t know any better. _

“ANYA THE BULLETS ARE POISON!!” Clarke screamed as loud as she could as she pulled her girlfriend into her lap and watched in horror as ebony spread through every visible vein of Echo’s body.

“Klark… I… know… who...” The brunette’s voice was shaky and weak, as Clarke’s tears splashed onto her face.  _ NO! This isn’t happening, don’t die… PLEASE!! _

“No, don’t give up on me, Echo….please just stay with me.” The blonde begged with tears flowing, only vaguely aware of the battle going on around her.

“It’s... not… Az… it’s…mmm...” Echo choked on the ebony blood in her mouth, before her skin turned gray and began to look flakey.  _ No, no, no, no!! _

“Nooo, please don’t leave me...please! Oh god… NOOOO!!! WHY MOM, WHY?!?!” Everything around Clarke seemed to spin as her girlfriend crumbled into ash in her lap.  _ She’s dead… dead… mom killed her… it should have been me... _

“We had to know if it worked… looks like it does. I’m doing this to save you, Clarke.” Abby interjected just as Lexa suddenly appeared and the doctor raised her weapon with an evil smirk.  _ NO, not Lexa!! _

“Klark!!” Lexa shouted and the blonde didn’t hesitate, flashing in front of the brunette to block the bullet. Clarke barely felt the sting, too focused on stopping her mother and rushed towards her in a blur. The blonde snapped her mother’s neck and though it only took a second, it felt like an eternity for her mother’s lifeless body hit the ground. It was almost like a dream, like she was watching herself from outside of her body and was not fully in control of her actions. The moment Clarke realized what she had done, she collapsed on the ground in front of her mother and sobbed uncontrollably.  _ What have I done??? _

“No, no, no!! Mom! Oh god, what did I do?” The blonde knew there was no point and yet she shook her mother in hopes that this was all just a horrible nightmare. She felt strong arms wrap around her and hold her tightly, yet was too deep in her misery to register it. “I killed her… I killed mom… and Echo, she’s dead… They’re both dead!” Clarke sobbed into the brunette’s shoulder and though she could feel agonizing cold through her veins, she paid no mind to it.  _ They’re dead… Echo died for me and I killed mom... _

“Shh… I’ve got you, Klark. Yu ste klir. I’m sorry, Klark… I’m so sorry…” Lexa’s voice was calm and any other day, it would easily pull the blonde from her spiralling thoughts.  _ I’m a murderer… I kill the people I love! _

“It's… s..so cold…” Kane’s words almost sounded like whimpers, likely suffering from the same cold burn that flooded Clarke’s body.  _ He’s right… freezing cold. _

“Hold on, Kane! Anya, Gustus!!” Lexa’s shouts sounded miles away, though she was still holding the blonde and rubbing circles on her back.  _ Echo died for me... _

“The others are dead, Heda.” Gustus reported as he and Anya arrived in a blur, the copper eyed vampire immediately wrapped her arms around the blonde from behind.  _ I killed mom... _

“Good, get Kane to hospital before he bleeds out.” Lexa ordered and the blonde could feel someone touching her shoulder, though it didn’t feel normal. More like light touches, yet it seemed almost frantic and desperate.  _ So cold... _

“Lex, she’s hurt… look at her veins...” Anya’s voice seemed to be fading and the blonde’s eyes were quickly feeling heavy. Clarke began to feel like she was being sucked into a cold darkness, unable to move or speak. 

“No, no, no… Klark… stay with me…” Lexa’s desperate voice faded into the distance and the blonde gave into the overwhelming need to sleep.  _ I think I’m dying... _

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, so... that happened. Don't kill me 😱, next chapter should be up tomorrow.


	11. Mother of Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it was rough, but it's gonna be okay.... I promise!
> 
> Big reveal and a lot of people caught it in the last chapter!😁

**June 4, 2010**

  
  
  


"Heda!" Gustus shouted and the two female vampires watched in horror as Marcus turned to ash.  _ What the hell, he isn't a vampire!! _

"Lexa… Klark's skin is…" Anya's voice filled with panic as the blonde's skin turned pale and flakey.  _ No! Not Klark!  _ The brunette cupped Clarke's face, hoping that it would somehow revive her.  _ Please don't leave me, Clarke!! _

"No, no, no… Klark, beja nou ban ai au! (Clarke, please don't leave me) NO!!!" Lexa let out a terrifying scream as Clarke's body crumbled in her arms and turned to ash. The brunette had tears streaming down her face as she desperately attempted to gather the blonde's ashes.  _ It's not possible...she can't be gone…  _ Beside her, Anya sat in silence as if in a trance and the massive vampire knelt down, wrapping his arms around both women.

"Heda, em gonplei ste odon… (Her fight is over)" Gustus' voice trembled as he spoke and the brunette shook her head defiantly.  _ No, I won't accept that… I can't… she has a destiny to fulfill!! _

"NO! Klark is NOT dead! She can't be...the prophecy… she's supposed to…" Lexa struggled against the massive vampire, refusing to accept what she saw and feeling emptier that she had ever felt.  _ She's supposed to rule at my side for eternity, defeat Maunon once and for all. Clarke can't be dead!! _

"Heda, beja… we have to go before the human police…" Gustus begged at the sound of sirens but it was no use, Lexa would not abandon Clarke.

"I am NOT leaving her!!" The brunette screamed at the top of her lungs and Gustus cupped her face with two massive hands.  _ No, I won't accept it… it can't be true! _

"Heda… she's turned to ash." The vampire's words caused Lexa to burst into an uncontrollable sob and was enveloped in a new set of arms.

"Ban au Gustus! Nau!! (Leave, now!)" Anya shouted angrily, seeming to have come out of her stupor and the large vampire gave her a grief stricken look. In the distance, the sirens were closing in on the school grounds.

"Anya…"

"I said GO! Lexa, look at me… we are going to find out who did this and we will make them pay, ai swega." The copper eyed vampire had a look of rage and determination the brunette had never seen before, yet it did nothing to soothe the pain.  _ It's a spell, it has to be… the prophecy... _

"She's not dead, she can't be… a spell or something… I am NOT leaving her!! I won't, I promised I wouldn't..." Lexa shook her head adamantly, trying to convince herself that it was the truth. 

"Leksa, beja. I know how heartbroken you are because I am too, but we cannot fight whoever did this if the police find us next to Abby's corpse. Now do you want burn every last fucker responsible for Klark's death or are you going to let this break you?" Anya gave her a stern look, like so many others in the past and it was enough for the rage to take control.

"I will slaughter them for this!!" Lexa's eyes went black and her fangs dropped, making her almost look like a feral animal.  _ I will not stop until the streets are drenched with the blood of those responsible!! _

"That's the Lexa I know, taim na bants! (Let's go)" The copper eyed vampire helped the brunette to her feet and the two flashed away, on a mission for revenge.  _ I will avenge you, Clarke… I promise. _

  
  
  
  


***********************************************************

  
  
  


"Yu stomba raun, Klark. (Wake up)" Clarke sat up gasping for air, quickly finding herself engulfed in strong arms and her eyes went wide at the sight of the brunette.  _ What the… how I watched her die!! _

"Echo? You're alive! I don't understand..." The blonde threw her arms around her and Echo did her best to smile, though it was weak. The brunette looked terrible, like she'd been starved and was wearing only her undergarments. It wasn't until now that Clarke realized they were in a cage in what looked like a lab of some kind.  _ Where the hell am I? _

"Shh… if they hear you, they'll drain you again and it's only been a few minutes since the last time. They haven't let you stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time." Echo scanned the lab, staring at a door across the room and the blonde had never been more confused.  _ I saw her die… she turned to ash in my arms. _

"What? Who?"

"Maunon. (Mountain Men) They took us, Klark." Roan's voice pulled her attention to the neighboring cage and the blonde shook her head in disbelief. He had sunken eyes and bandages stained with his ebony blood, also only in his underwear. 

"Roan? I don't understand, how did we get here? Echo, I watched you die...you were ash… and I thought..." Clarke's eyes filled with tears at the horrible memory of the brunette's death and then her mother's.  _ Oh, god...I'm in hell for murdering her!!  _

"Shh... it's okay, Klark. I'm not sure what happened. I felt cold, like I was dying and then I woke up on a table. They've been draining us so we can't fight them." Echo stroked her face and wiped her tears with a concerned look.

"Roan, how long have we been here?" Clarke looked at her friend, who shook his head and shrugged.

"I'm not sure, they drain us till we pass out. At least a week, maybe more. They're pissed at you, Klark. They said that you murdered the king's daughter." Roan whispered and the blonde crumpled her eyebrows in confusion.  _ King's daughter? I thought I just killed mom... _

"Emo komb'ir! (They are coming!)" The familiar voice caught the blonde's attention and she looked up to find Queen Nia in a cage above them, looking as ragged as the others.  _ What is happening? _

"Klark, blinka daun... ai na shil yu op. (Close your eyes, I'll protect you.)" Echo whispered and the blonde closed her eyes, listening to the approaching footsteps.

"Where is Clarke?" The male voice seemed to belong to an older man and sounded annoyed with whomever he was talking to.

"With the other savages, she's still asleep." Another man's voice replied.

"Dammit Cage, I told you to separate her from the others. I had a room already prepared for her. I trusted you to take care of her while I was gone and you caged her! What the hell is wrong with you?" The older man asked, sounding frustrated and the blonde couldn't help but wonder what was happening.  _ They know my name and had a room ready for me? _

"There's no reason to make her comfortable, Dante. She murdered your daughter and would kill us if given the chance, we should keep her in a cage until she breaks the spell." A different male voice grumbled. _ I thought I only killed mom… now these people want me to break a spell? _

"Clarke was only protecting herself Carl, any of us would have done the same in her place. If Echo hadn't stumbled upon the truth, Clarke would have come here willingly. I told Abigail to be cautious, but she couldn't set her hatred for the Ice Nation aside long enough to let it play out. Now let her out of the damned cage!" Dante demanded angrily.  _ Wait, mom was in on this? _

"Are you crazy? She is a vampire, father! We can't just let her walk around freely among our people!!"

"I  **will not** allow my granddaughter to live in a cage like an animal and I expect each of you to treat her with dignity. We are the only family she has now, we should be welcoming her home with open arms, not treating her like a stray dog." Dante was shouting and the blonde's head was spinning.  _ Did he just call me his granddaughter? _

"But, father she killed Abby and..." Dante's son argued, only to be cut off by a woman's voice this time. 

"Dante's right, Cage. Abby knew the risks of going off book, we had a plan and your sister jumped the gun."

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when she tries to kill you both. Emerson, knockout the vampire with her so we can get my niece out of the cage." Cage offered and there was no way in hell that Clarke was going to let them take her. The footsteps moved closer to the cage and she could feel Echo tense up.

"Say night night fanger." The one called Emerson said with a malicious tone and the blonde knew she had to act.  _ I'm not going let them hurt her!! _

"STOP!!! Do NOT touch my girlfriend!!" Clarke shouted and a man in a suit with dark hair knelt down in front of the cage laughing maniacally.

"Oh, sweetheart... She's not your girlfriend. We just made you both think that… Love spells pack one hell of a wallop, don't they?" The man smirked and the blonde glared at him.  _ It was a love spell... _

"What do you want from me?" Clarke demanded and the older man interjected.

"We just want you to free us, Clarke." Dante replied calmly and the man in front of her rolled his eyes in frustration.  _ He wants to hurt me, but Dante doesn't...or I don't think he does... _

"Free you? You attacked us, put a spell on us and then kidnapped us!!" The blonde retorted and Dante gave her remorseful look.

"I'm sorry about that, Clarke and I'm even more sorry about your mother. Cage and I loved your mother so much. I promise that she will be honored for the sacrifices she made to save our people." The older man's expression was sincere, yet the blonde knew better than to trust him.  _ You don't kidnap someone and ask them to do you a favor, dumbass. _

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Yu nomon bilaik Maunon, ai Haiplana. Osir tran lom you op, ba emo hon ai daun. (Your mother is a Maunon, my Queen. We tried to warn you but they captured us.)" Nia interjected with a calm tone and the blonde's head spun with all of the new information.  _ Mom is an evil witch?  _

"No one said you could talk, bitch!" A man, presumably Emerson growled and jabbed Azplana with a black stick that caused her to convulse.

"STOP IT!!" Clarke shouted angrily and the man gave her an evil smirk.

"Make me, princess…"

"Enough, Carl! Clarke is both heir to my throne and Heda's Queen, you will treat her with the respect she is due. Now Clarke, would you please command your comrades to refrain from attacking so that you and I may discuss the future of our people somewhere far more comfortable?" The older man scolded Emerson, then smiled kindly and the blonde took a deep breath. _Heir to his throne and_ _Heda's Queen?? I must be dead… there's no way that this shit is real. I watched Echo die, I died and this is hell._

"Ai na shil yu op, ai Haiplana." Echo whispered and gave the blonde a nod, who fought the urge to roll her eyes.  _ Just because he called me a queen doesn't mean you should... _

"Chil yu daun. Ai na breik 'sir au, ai swega. (Stand down. I'll get us out of here, I promise.)" Clarke shook her head.  _ I'm not risking your lives… there's a way out of here, there has to be! _

"Sha, ai Haiplana. (Yes, my Queen)" The three Azgedans replied in unison and Emerson opened the cage. Clarke found herself unsteady on her feet and the older man reached out to steady her. Dante pulled off his suit jacket and wrapped it around the blonde, who just realized that she too was in her undergarments.

"I am very sorry for the way you've been treated, Clarke. My name is Dante Wallace and I am your grandfather. You'll have to forgive your uncle's manners, I'm afraid we're all dealing with your mother's death differently." Dante offered as he led her out of the room and down a white hallway.  _ It's a lie, mom said her whole family died in a car accident... _

"Mom doesn't have family, they…"

"A necessary lie, I am afraid. If Abigail told your father who she really was, Heda would have killed her and you would never have been born." The man replied calmly and the blonde racked her brain for all Anya had taught her of Maunon.  _ Evil witches that tried to rule the world a thousand years ago. Anya said Lexa and a Griffin witch imprisoned them, when they found that they couldn't defeat them. _

"Why?"

"Heda's people and my people have been at war for over eleven centuries. Heda trapped us in this place, with the help of your father's ancestor. That's when the prophecy that foretold your birth was made." Dante answered, wrapping an arm around the blonde, who was still struggling to walk properly.

"If you were trapped here, how did my mom…"

"It took us centuries to finally be able to go to the ground. We are still only able to leave for a few hours at a time before we are forced to return or we die. Abby found a way to extend her time above ground, using blood from the vampires she took as prisoners and began researching a permanent solution. Your father's blood was the key to Abby living above ground permanently." The older man explained and Clarke shook her head in confusion.  _ How would his blood make mom able to live above ground? _

"Dad's blood?"

"It happened completely by accident, though now it is fair to say that it was destiny. Abby was in a rush to reach the portal before her time above ground expired and accidentally struck your father with her car. The doctor in her compelled her to save him and she cut herself removing a piece of metal from his side. His blood mixed with hers and she no longer needed to return home." Dante finished and the blonde came to a halt.  _ She lied to him… convinced him she loved him... _

"It was fake… her and dad." Clarke offered and the old man nodded.  _ Like Lexa and Ontari...like me and Echo. _

"Yes. She married your father so she could find a way to free us. There was just one problem, his blood only allowed Abby to stay above ground. One hundred of our people volunteered for the trials and all of them died the moment your father's blood mixed with theirs. We couldn't fathom why until  **you** were born. Destiny brought Abby and your father together to create you, Clarke. Your mother died to save our people and you will complete her work." Dante smiled proudly and it only made the blonde feel sick.  _ Mom lied... to dad, to me and everyone else...no wonder she had no problem starving me... _

"I will never help you! You bewitched my friends, hurt me and kidnapped us! Lexa will find you and kill you for kidnapping me!" Clarke growled angrily and the old man merely chuckled in response.

"Ah yes, Heda Leksa kom Trikru. I'm afraid she is under the impression that you are dead, just you believed your friend Echo was dead." Dante smiled triumphantly, causing rage to boil inside the blonde's veins.

"You can't trick her! She'll know I'm not dead!"

"Your beloved soulmate is a bit of a mess at the moment. The spell we placed on the bullets turns your body to ash as it transports you here, Clarke. I assure you that she will not come looking for you and she has no idea that we are behind it. If she is somehow convinced that you live, she won't think to look here. By the time you free us, Lexa will be so happy that you are alive that she will agree to any of our demands, just to hold you again." The old man smirked and Clarke shook her head defiantly. _ Not a chance in hell, asshole! _

"I will never free you!!"

"You will whether you want to or not, Clarke. You see the moment you turn eighteen, your very presence in this place will break the spell holding us here. We will walk right out the front door and no one can stop us. Now we can either go to war with your precious Lexa and wipe her people out or you can barter a peace treaty. If Heda's Queen demands peace, she will bow to your wishes. It is my hope that we end this peacefully, but I will not hesitate to attack. As you have witnessed yourself, we are far more powerful than Skaikru witches." Dante smiled down at the blonde as he stopped in front of a white door with a small window.  _ If I don't try for peace, he could kill more people, even Lexa. Wait, did he say when I'm eighteen? _

"That's more than two years from now." The blonde's eyes went wide with the realization that she was going to be held prisoner in this place.  _ Two years and four months... _

"Yes, my child. Now, as both Queen of the Coalition and my granddaughter, I hoped to provide you a bit of comfort during your stay with us. If you behave yourself, you will be allowed to live here in this comfortable cell for the next two years. If you do not, you can join your friends and spend two years in the cage. The choice is yours, so shall Emerson escort you to the cage or will you stay here?" Dante opened the door to an all white room and raised a questioning eyebrow.  _ Shit! There has to be a way out of this... remember what Anya told you, study your opponent and think before you act. _

"Promise me you won't kill my people that you've captured and break the spell on my people back home." Clarke straightened her back, trying to look regal.  _ He keeps saying that I'm a Queen, might as well act like one. _

"As long as you behave yourself while you are here, you have my word that your people will live and will be freed from the spell. It's up to you, Clarke." Dante scanned her face closely as the blonde nodded her agreement.  _ Be patient, they played a long con, you can do the same… it's in my blood, after all. _

"I'll stay here."

"Excellent, Clarke. I understand that you are an artist like myself, so I took the liberty of leaving some charcoal in your room. I find even the smallest comfort can bring you peace of mind in a difficult situation and truly hope that you will eventually call this place home. I'll pay you a visit in the morning and bring you some blood, now get some rest." Dante smiled proudly and the blonde entered the room, trying not to show defeat.  _ You win this round, but I'll be ready for the next... _

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, now Clarke and the three Azgedans are prisoners. While her friends and loved ones go on a hunt for their supposed killers...


	12. Let's Make a Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments! Love hearing from you guys!

**June 13, 2010**

  
  


“Goodmorning, Clarke. I trust you slept comfortably last night?” Dante offered as he entered her cell with a smile and the blonde forced herself to maintain a calm demeanor.  _ Play nice and wait for them to slip up, but not too nice… that would be fishy. _

“As well as I could, what with the kidnapping and all. What’s that?” Clarke answered and then gestured to the black garment in Dante’s hand.  _ I swear if he thinks I’m gonna be dressed up like a perfect granddaughter... _

“We are holding a funeral for your mother today and I thought you might want to attend. I thought a black dress would be appropriate, your mother had brought several of your clothes and belongings before her untimely death. I got your measurements from her, I hope it fits you.” Her grandfather gave the blonde a hopeful smile and Clarke clenched her jaw to prevent her from vamping out on him.  _ You want me to go to her funeral?? _

“You want me to mourn the woman who lied to my dad and everyone else for fifteen and half years?” The blonde shook her head in disbelief and tried to reign in her emotions, knowing she had to play this right.  _ Gain his trust and he may let you leave the cell. Once he does, I can find a way for us to get out of here. _

“Eighteen, Abigail met your father before you were born.” Dante corrected and the blonde didn’t hold back her eye roll.  _ Well excuse me grandpa, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whiplash at the hands of my own flesh and blood. _

“Sorry, hard to keep up with all of the bullshit.” Clarke grumbled, knowing her honest reaction would be expected and her grandfather gave her a sympathetic smile.  _ This is kinda like knowing everyone is under a spell, only now I know who the enemy is. Lexa said watch people closely, especially what they say and do. _

“I understand that you are upset, Clarke. I would be too, in your place and I apologize for the deception. Regardless of Abigail’s lies and faults, she is still your mother. I know that you feel pain over her death, because you are a good person.” Dante replied and though the blonde wanted to hate her mother, her grandfather was correct.  _ She’s still my mom and I even though I would definitely kill her again, it hurts. I can’t believe she was lying this whole time! _

“So are we going above ground for the funeral?” Clarke crossed her arms in front of her, hoping that they would be foolish enough to give her an opening and yet she knew it couldn’t be that easy.  _ They’ve been playing us all for eighteen years, they won’t go down easily. _

“No, I gathered her body while you were kept in a cage and again, I apologize for that. If your mother had followed the plan, you would have come willingly and you would have more freedom. You may eventually gain more leniency in the future if you behave yourself. I sincerely hope that the day will come when I allow you to move to more comfortable quarters and become one of us.” Dante replied calmly and gave the blonde all she needed to know.  _ So he’s hoping I become one of them. If I play nice, I may be able to roam around without guards. I’ll need help, though... _

“What about my friends in the cages? Will you give them more freedom?” Clarke offered and her grandfather sighed, taking a moment to respond. 

“Nia is as old as Lexa and the other clan leaders. She fought in the war against us over a thousand years ago and I  **cannot** allow her to roam free. You and your people are vampires, Clarke. We are powerful witches, more than those you know and yet still human. It would be foolish to allow your people freedom.” Dante answered carefully and the blonde knew she had to play this diplomatically. 

“I’m not talking about our two people having sleepovers and braiding each other’s hair, I’m asking for an act of faith. You have to have other cells like this one, I’m certain of that and I’m only asking that you make my people comfortable.” The blonde offered and received a look from her grandfather that suggested he was open to it. “You said it yourself, I’m their Queen. Nia will obey me and so will the others, they will not attack unless I tell them to. They are  **my** people and I won’t allow them to be treated like animals, I know you’d do the same for  **your** people. Your people have lied to us for years and you want us to trust you? Trust goes both ways, Gramps. You want peace, prove it and treat my people with dignity.” Clarke held her breath, proud that she had worded it so well and hoping that Dante would relent.  _ C’mon, at least give me kudos for not vamping out on you. _

“Spoken like a true queen. Very well, prove that we can trust you for one month and I will have your three friends brought to cells like this one. I will allow you to see them regularly, but I cannot allow them to roam the hallways.” Her grandfather smiled proudly and the blonde pressed on, knowing she had to set things right.  _ If the spell is gone, maybe Lexa will figure out I’m alive. _

“What about my other people? Did you remove the spell?”

“The spell will be removed when your people are moved to new cells, assuming that you do not cause trouble. If you behave and remain respectful for one month, I will end the spell on everyone in the coalition.” Dante answered and the blonde took a deep breath, nodding her agreement.  _ Good, one month of being good and we'll see if what Anya said about sires feeling their progeny's life force is true... _

“Deal.”

“Alright, I will give you some privacy to change. While we are at the funeral, I will have a cooler brought in so you may have access to blood and your clothing as well. In the meantime here are two pints, I am certain you are starving. I am putting a great deal of trust in you, Clarke. Don’t make me regret it.” Her grandfather scanned her face closely and turned to leave.  _ Be patient, Clarke. Be good for a month and then we can work together to get out of here.  _

  
  
  


*******************************************************************************************************

**Midnight**

**July 13, 2010**

  
  


“Let’s go see your friends, Princess.” The witch smirked as he entered and the blonde was very grateful that she rarely saw him.  _ He’s such a sadistic creep! The way he looks at me, like he wants to hurt me but can’t... _

“Don’t call me that.” Clarke grumbled, trying not to react to Emerson and hoping that Dante would keep his word.  _ I behaved myself for a month, guess we’ll find out if the spell is broken and if they let my friends move to better cells. It’s not much, but it’s something… if I play this right, we can gain their trust and find a way out of here. _

“Or what? You’ll go rabid dog on me again? Poor little scared princess has no one to stick up for her.” Emerson replied in a mocking tone and his choice of words, combined with the tone was strangely familiar.  _ I’ve heard that before… and he calls me princess, everyone else here calls me Queen… _

“What did you say?”The blonde turned to face him and narrowed her eyes, scanning him closely.  _ Something’s off... _

“Only a matter of time before everyone else sees what a monster you are, princess.” The witch gave the blonde an evil smirk and Clarke’s eyes went wide with shock as she shook her head in disbelief.  _ How? _

“Finn?”

“He died in a tragic accident the day before kindergarten. Who knew there would be a sinkhole below his family’s house and it would swallow them whole? Magic is great, isn’t it?” Emerson smiled widely and chuckled maliciously, causing the blonde to give him a repulsive look.  _ Oh my god, he’s a monster!! _

“You’ve been Finn this whole time? That’s just sick!! Did you really have nothing better to do than pick on a little girl? You’re what, forty and you get a kick out of picking on kids?” Clarke grimaced and shook her head, wondering how many others in her life were fake.  _ Why would they do that? I was a kid and they hurt me, now it’s all ‘forgive me my Queen’ bullshit. I hate these fuckers! _

“She was supposed to be mine! Your filthy, weak father took her from me and you killed her. Abby said you were spoiled, turns out that was an understatement. Bodyguards, expensive gifts, shopping sprees and a fucking pony! If you were my child, your ass would be raw and you’d learn some respect for your elders.” Emerson growled with murderous eyes and the blonde huffed.  _ You sick fuck! Yeah, I was spoiled but I learned my lesson. You’ve been pushing my buttons from day one! _

“You did the videos…”

“That was a combined effort, so you would distance yourself from your friends and come here willingly. If your bitch fake girlfriend hadn’t overheard our plan, it would have worked. Now you’ve got Dante convinced we should treat you and your friends like people? It’s only a matter of time before you slip up and show your true colors, princess. I’ll be waiting for that day and I will enjoy making you suffer.” The witch glared down at her and the blonde looked at him with disgust.

“God you’re just a horrible person, aren’t you?” 

“Do something about it, I dare you! I will have you and your friends back in a cage again, I promise.” Emerson moved into her personal space and it took everything the blonde had not to rip his throat out.  _ Be smart, he wouldn't come in here if he didn’t know I couldn’t kill him… _ The two walked slowly towards the lab, where her grandfather was waiting for.

“I’m trusting you, Clarke. Keep them from attacking while we move them to their new cells or they go right back. I’ll give you a few moments to speak with them and then you all go back to your cells. This is the key to their cages, do not let me down.” Dante offered as he stood outside of the lab door and Clarke nodded her agreement, then stepped through the door. The blonde’s friends sat up in their cages as she entered and once the door closed behind her, she flashed forward towards them.  _ Fuck, they look awful!!  _

“I made a deal to get you out of the cages. If you don’t attack, you’ll be in a cell like mine and be well fed.” Clarke explained as she unlocked the cages and helped the three Azgedans out, having to help them stand. Once all three were free, they hugged the blonde and the four stood in silence in a group hug for a few moments before the blonde spoke.  _ Is the spell broken, cos I still care about them? Though I do feel hella weird about Echo. I love her, but the thought of us is gross.  _ “Is this weird for you guys too… like do you want to kill me now?” The blonde asked after a moment, wondering if she really could trust them and hoping that she could.  _ Please!! _

“No, Haiplana. I still care deeply for you and would gladly die to protect you, breaking the spell didn’t change that. I am so proud of you for thinking of it! Leksa get in yu ste kiken. (Lexa will know that you're alive.)” Nia offered, pulling back from the hug and the blonde nodded.  _ That's what I'm hoping for!! _

“And you?” Clarke looked to Echo, holding her breath. 

“I will always have your back, Klark. I care about you but we are  **not** kissing again and thanks for not… you know. That would be weird... sorry.” Echo gave the blonde a cautious look and Clarke couldn’t help but smile widely.  _ Thank god, it’s not just me!! _

“It’s okay, me too. I’m with Nia, it doesn’t change the fact that I love you… just not in the same way. I won’t let them hurt you, any of you. Ro, are we good?” The blonde raised a questioning eyebrow at her best friend.  _ Please say you’re still you…  _

“Sha, Haiplana. I’m still your bestie and for the record, I never wanted to kiss you.” Roan chuckled, which given the circumstances was a relief and the blonde gave the three of them a serious look.  _ Okay, now to the serious shit... _

“We have to refrain from any violence, no attacking Maunon. If we all do what they say and play nice, we get better than a cage.” Clarke offered, knowing that it wasn’t much and yet better than the current situation.  _ We will get through this, we just have to be patient... _

“Yu gada strat in, ai Haiplana? (Do you have a plan, my Queen?)” Nia asked with a raised eyebrow and the blonde nodded, then stood upright with her hands behind her back.  _ Back to the queen part... _

“Osir na ai emo op. Gouba raun kom oso ste emo lukot. Dig em kwelnes au en breik ‘sir we. (We will watch them. Act like we’re their friends. Find their weakness and escape.)" Clarke commanded and the three Azgedans nodded their understanding.

“Sha, Haiplana.”

“So what’s the deal with the Queen part? Everyone here calls me Heda’s Queen… whatever that means.” The blonde scanned them all very closely and Nia let out a defeated sigh. 

“The prophecy destined you and Heda to rule our people as one. Lexa ordered myself and the other adults to keep it from you, because she didn’t want you to feel like you had no choice.” Azplana explained with a sad smile and Clarke narrowed her eyes in confusion.  _ Being queen isn’t exactly a bad thing to be destined for. _

“No choice in being this Queen?”

“No choice in being Lexa’s Queen, Klark. The two of you are soulmates and will spend the rest of eternity together.” Echo piped in and the blonde gulped, then took a deep breath.  _ Soulmates… Dante’s said that a few times. _

“Like… we’ll be... lovers?” Clarke looked between the Azgedans and all of them nodded in affirmation.  _ Whoa! That’s… weird, but… I feel safe with her, normal. Like I can be me and she can be her.  _

“Eventually, yes. I should tell you that Heda has  **never** considered anything like that until you are an adult and  **you** are ready for it. That is why she kept it from you, she wanted you to experience life without feeling guilty or conflicted. The prophecy also says that  **you** will be the one to defeat Maunon. I think that is why they brought you here, in hopes of convincing you they are your friends.” Nia replied and though it was a lot to take in, it made sense.  _ Lexa said she wanted to wait until I was eighteen to let me read the prophecy about me. She was trying to protect me, like always.  _

“Fuck me! This is a lot to handle. Mom was an evil witch that lied to everyone, Emerson is Finn, you’re not my real girlfriend, I’m a queen and Lexa’s my soulmate.” Clarke shook her head in disbelief and closed her eyes tightly to think for a moment.  _ So is that why I always feel off when Lexa’s not around...because we’re soulmates? I just assumed it was because she’s my sire.  _

“I am so sorry that you had to find out like this, Klark. Heda had intended to break it to you very differently. There is no mistaking your connection with her, though for the moment I suggest we focus on one part of the prophecy.” Nia cupped the blonde’s face and gave her a sympathetic look.

“Ai na frag Maunon op. (I will wipe out Maunon)” Clarke offered with a gulp and Azplana nodded, though remorsefully.  _ She really does care about me, it’s such a relief to know it wasn’t fake too. _

“Sha, Haiplana.”

“Yu gada yu hedon. Osir na set raun kom emo slip kwelnes op. Den ‘sir breik au. (You have your orders. We wait until they show us a weaknesses. Then we break out.)” Clarke stood regally, trying to somewhat emulate her sire and apparent soulmate.  _ Fuck, this is so much… just focus on getting out of here, then worry about the future. _

“Sha, Haiplana.”

“My people have agreed to come quietly! You have my word that they won’t attack!” Clarke raised her voice so the others outside could hear her and the door opened, revealing men with weapons.  _ Please feel my lifesource, Lexa! I could use some help!! _

“Just a precaution, I assure you. Move them to their cells! You have proven yourself today, Clarke. Continue to do so and you will have a comfortable life here with us. Shall we?” Dante flashed her a proud smile and the blonde nodded her agreement.  _ You are  _ **_so_ ** _ fucked when we get out of here!! _

  
  


*******************************************************************************************************

**Morning**

**July 13, 2010**

  
  
  


“Gross, gross, gross!! I think I’m gonna blow chunks!!” Raven shouted as she ran to the bathroom, wrapped in a sheet and Bellamy buried his face in his hands in embarrassment. The two friends woke up in Raven’s bed, cuddled up naked and neither of them could believe it.  _ What would possibly make me have sex with Bell? Ugh!!!  _

“Did we do drugs or something last night? I mean it’s weird, I remember everything clearly. We were both into it and...” Bellamy’s voice sounded confused and the latina gagged over the toilet.

“Ugh!! Shut the fuck up! I don’t want to think about it, Bell! Still trying to not throw up!!” Raven shouted, with her head over the toilet and did her best to keep it together.  _ We didn’t do drugs… I’m pretty sure we didn’t. It’s like the last few months were a dream or I was possessed. Nope! Not thinking about it… definitely drugs! _

“Uh, guys?? Please tell me I dreamed that you two have been fucking!” Octavia banged on the door to Raven’s room and the very mention of it caused the latina to gag once more.  _ What happened to us? _

“Hang on, O! Where the fuck are my clothes?” Bellamy asked as Raven grabbed a pair of boxers and a t-shirt from the floor of the bathroom.  _ So they’re dirty, better than strutting around naked in front of one of my best friends. Even though I’m pretty certain it’s nothing new. _

“Uh, most of them are out here, Bell! Can you hurry it up? There’s a crazy looking woman downstairs that says she needs our help.” Octavia shouted and the latina scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion.  _ Huh? _

“Crazy woman?” Raven shouted back and put the lid on the toilet back down, proud that she somehow managed not to get sick.

“Jesus, Bell!! Could you at least cover your junk?” Raven walked out of the bathroom and immediately covered her eyes at the sight of a very naked Bellamy.  _ Just because I recall seeing it several times, doesn’t mean I want to see it now! Was it all a bad dream?  _

“You kinda took the covers, Rae!” The male witch replied with a frustrated tone and the latina shook her head in disbelief as she tossed a pair of sweats at her friend.  _ Should fit him, they’re way big on me. _

“Here! God, I cannot fucking believe we slept together!” Raven rolled her eyes and put her hair in a ponytail, more for keeping her busy while her friend got dressed.  _ Seriously, what was that? _

“Pretty sure it was more than once and for a few months, if we are in fact not crazy.” Bellamy argued and he was right, she could remember it all clearly.  _ It started in Paris, I think… Why would we do something we remember, but not understand why we did it? _

“Not crazy, guys. I totally recall you two screwing in Heda’s pool and I’m pretty sure I’ve been screwing Roan. Not as bad as you guys, at least he’s hot...” Octavia interjected from outside, causing Bellamy to look sick and Raven to once again start gagging.  _ God, I remember that! Why would we do that? He’s like a brother to me… _

“Let’s go, stud. The crazy lady awaits… maybe she knows what happened to us.” Raven said as she opened her bedroom door and headed downstairs.  _ God I hope she knows what happened! _ They reached the living room and before them was a dark haired woman with wild hair.

“Ah, wonderful! You are here, as I’m sure you discovered the spell that was cast on all of us has been lifted. Heda will be here any moment now to give you your orders, we’re going to save Klark.” The woman announced with a smile the moment she saw them and the three teens looked at her with great caution.  _ Crazy woman is right!! _

“Uh, okay… so she’s completely crazy. Why would you let her inside, O?” Raven stopped and gulped, trying not to let the emotions take over.  _ Jake said it was Abby that killed her, but it doesn’t make sense… Why would Abby do that to Clarke? _

“Klark is alive, Raven.” Lexa offered with a wide smile as she entered through the front door, with Jake and her lackeys in tow.  _ What??? _

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Maunon are monsters, but now everyone can work to break them out..


	13. Hurry Up and Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, my vacation is over. 😭 I will keep updating (probably once or twice a week), just not as often as before. Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments!

**July 20, 2010**

  
  


"Yu gada yu hedon. Hon Klark en breik em au. (You have your orders. Find Clarke and free her.)" Lexa ordered the large group of vampires and all of them charged the portal, only to be sent flying backwards several dozen feet.  _ Yikes, that had to hurt! _

"Wamplei Gon Maunon! (Death to Maunon!)" Anya shouted and charged again, this time the vampire fell to the ground seizing.  _ Oh, shit!! _

"Anya!" Lexa rushed forward and knelt down in front of her former fos, face full of concern.  _ Okay, so someone doesn't want us going through the portal…  _ The portal itself had only recently been discovered and  **that** was blind luck. Raven, Bellamy and Octavia were walking out of the back door of school yesterday afternoon, when a piece of paper appeared out of nowhere. Best part, it was written in Trig with  **Clarke's** writing and there was finally hope in finding her.  _ She's really alive, not just based on Heda's weird sire connection with Griff. _

_ Maunon is behind it all, I'm alive and I'm a prisoner. _

"Heda, there must be a spell on the portal to keep us out! We need to regroup and find another way." Luna suggested and the brunette shook her head defiantly, refusing to stand down. Not that anyone could blame her, the revelation that Clarke was alive one month after her funeral shocked everyone. Octavia didn't know Heda well, but there was no denying that she would do absolutely anything for Clarke. Lexa was a complete mess in the month everyone believed that Clarke died at the hands of her own mother.  _ Heda said that Abby was under a spell that made her turn against everyone. Abby shot Clarke, her own daughter... _

"No, I'm not leaving Klark in there! There must be a way inside, try again!" Heda demanded and had a determined look on her face. It was actually refreshing, to see everyone working together to free Clarke and yet also incredibly frustrating. This was not the first failed attempt to find Clarke, for starters everyone was certain that Azgeda was behind the whole thing. After all, Nia, Roan and Echo disappeared the day Clarke died. Lexa imprisoned, questioned and threatened to torture every Azgedan, including Ontari. That was a huge shock to everyone.  _ How do you arrest and threaten to torture your own girlfriend? They seemed so in love, but then again so did everyone else.  _ Then the spell broke and all hell broke loose, their people feared who might be responsible. Everyone took a hit with that, relationships that were fake, memories that had been erased and Clarke was suddenly alive.  _ It would take one hell of a coven to pull that off.  _ Now once again, they were facing failure in the road to finding Clarke.  _ Clarke sent the message, so there's a way to get through… there has to be. _ Octavia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and mustered as much courage as she could.  _ Maybe it's just to keep vampires out... _

"Fuck it!" The dark haired witch charged the portal, ignoring the shouts of her mother and brother. _ I either die, or I end up saving Clarke. _

"Octavia, what are you doing? O!!" They screamed as she passed through the portal and Octavia looked around at the bright white room with amazement.  _ No fucking way… I'm not dead! _

"Holy shit, it worked!" The dark haired witch exclaimed and her face filled with a bright smile, before seeing a familiar face rushing towards her.  _ Maybe I am dead... _

"Ms. Blake, thank God! I wasn't sure if Heda would receive the message I sent through the portal." Kane rushed forward with a wide smile and hugged her. "I'm sorry, I don't normally hug students, I'm just so glad to see you." The principal pulled away looking uncomfortable and yet Octavia couldn't blame him.  _ Heda said that he died... _

"We thought the message was from Clarke, we had no idea you were here. I even went to your funeral." The dark haired witch shook her head in disbelief and the principal smiled.  _ He's been a prisoner this whole time like Clarke? What the hell is going on? _

"It was Clarke's idea, she is certain that Heda knows that we're alive and would know how to save all of us." Marcus replied and his choice of words caught Octavia's attention.  _ Did he say... _

"All of  **us** ?" The dark haired witch raised an eyebrow and the principal nodded.  _ Who else is here? _

"Azplana, Roan and Echo are here too, they keep the four of them in cells. Ms. Griffin told their leader that I'm harmless and can't use magic, I've played my part well so they let me roam free. Clarke ordered me to find a way to contact Heda and hopefully get us out of here. I've been trying to escape for a month, but every time I step through the portal, I find myself back in my quarters. I can throw objects through, but I can't leave and only witches can enter through the portal. It took two weeks of schmoozing their leader to find out he placed a spell so none of us can leave." Kane explained and it was a lot to take in, considering all of them had been presumed dead.  _ Ok, so only witches can enter but the prisoners are spelled so they can't leave. Not good. _

"Well, shit! There has to be..." Octavia started only to be cut off at the sound of voices.

"Dammit they're coming back, tell Jake and Heda what I said about the portal. Maybe Skaikru can figure out a way to break the spell. I'll keep sending messages through the portal, have Heda watch it at all times. If I find any weaknesses or ways out, I will let you know. Go!" The principal instructed quietly and the dark haired witch exited through the portal, two figures can rushing towards her.  _ They look scared shitless... _

"O! Thank God! I thought we lost you! You turned into dust when you walked through." Bellamy exclaimed as he and their mother pulled the witch into their arms.  _ I have to warn Heda... _

"Heda, we have a problem. Clarke the others can't leave, Maunon put a spell on them. Only witches can enter, but it's no use if they can't leave. Kane says they just end up back inside when they try to exit the portal." Octavia informed them and the look of surprise on everyone's face would almost be comical, if not for the situation.  _ Believe me, I'm as shocked as you. _

"Kane is in there?" Heda asked and the dark haired girl nodded in affirmation.

"Azplana, Roan and Echo too. The vampires are kept in cells but Clarke convinced the leader Kane is harmless. He said he'd send messages through and that we need to watch the portals." Octavia replied and Jake looked at Heda with a serious look.  _ So much for the rescue mission. _

"Lexa, if there's a spell keeping them from leaving… the spell must be broken from inside and we can only do it if we know what specific spell they used. The only other option is…" Jake offered with a solemn face the brunette vampire gulped.  _ That can't be good... _

"Let them be held prisoner until Klark is eighteen and can break the spell." Heda finished his thought for him, looking like she might be sick and Clarke's father nodded.  _ What? That's over two years!! _

"Yes. I'll continue to work with Skaikru on a way to break both spells, we have no choice but to wait." Jake let out a deep sigh of frustration and the other adults grumbled amongst themselves.

"I want everyone to assist Skaikru in any way possible! Two guards on the portal at all times, if anyone comes out they will be brought to me immediately. Get to work!" Heda shouted and everyone jumped into action.  _ Sorry guys, but we'll get you out of there. _

  
  
  


***********************************************************

  
  


**October 24, 2011**

  
  
  


"Happy birthday, Clarke." 

"Bell?" Clarke looked up from her drawing and got her feet as her friend walked into her cell, dressed like one of the guards.  _ Is this a rescue? About damned time.  _ The last year and a half had been maddening, stuck in the cell with only the occasional visit. Once a month, Dante allowed her to speak with her people to verify that they were safe and well fed. However that was the only time any of them left their cells, Marcus would slip messages under the door and pass along information, yet all they could do was wait.  _ Impatiently… very impatiently. _

"Lexa and Luna knew that you would be able to see through the spell. We don't have much time, the guard comes by in a few minutes and then I have to act like Emerson, nami?" Bellamy gave the blonde a tight hug and then whispered.  _ Huh? _

"Emerson?" The blonde gave the witch a surprised look and he nodded.  _ Is that why he's wearing a guard uniform? _

"O is here too, as far as Maunon is concerned we're Emerson and Tsing. Kane's been sending messages in Trig through the portal. Times and dates of Maunon exiting the portal. Heda took them into custody and sent us through the portal in their place. Vampires can't enter, we learned that the hard way. Anya was in a coma for a week trying to get through to rescue you and then still insisted on trying again." Bellamy explained and the blonde narrowed her eyes.  _ Coma? Oh god! _

"Is she okay?" Clarke asked and her friend nodded.  _ Thank god.  _ "So let's get Nia and the others, then get the hell outta here!" The blonde insisted and Bellamy gave her a sad look.  _ Shit, now what? _

"Sorry, but we can't… not yet. These guys are way more powerful than Skaikru and we haven't broken the spell keeping you here yet. Heda has everyone in the Coalition working on it, but you have to be patient." The male witch responded and the blonde shook her head adamantly.  _ I'm going crazy in here and we're running out of time!!!  _

"Bell, I'm seventeen today. If I'm still here on my eighteenth birthday…" Clarke argued and the witch finished her thought for her  _ That's one more year in this stupid cell, UGH!! _

"You'll break the spell and release Maunon, Luna told us. We'll figure it out before then, I promise. In the meantime, we all have to play along. O and I can come and go, as long as they think we're Maunon. This is for you, from Heda." Bellamy handed the blonde a box, with a translucent object bearing a blue infinity symbol on it inside. 

"What is it?"

"Before you go to bed tonight, hold it in your hand and say  _ ascende superius.  _ It will do the rest... I gotta go, the guard is coming. We'll get you guys out of here, I promise." Bellamy gave her a hug and then quickly exited her cell, leaving a very frustrated blonde.  _ Hurry it up guys, before I go batshit and kill someone. _

  
  
  


***********************************************************

  
  


The blonde looked around at her surroundings in awe. She was standing on the edge of an ancient battlefield, warriors were stripping the dead of their weapons and armor.  _ My dream… the one I keep having.  _ On the edge of the battlefield, men were setting up camp and the blonde narrowed her eyes, spotting Anya on a horse. She had the same cold stare, only now Anya had armor, warpaint and braids. Lincoln, Gustus and Indra were beside her, also in battle gear. In the distance was Nia, with very different warpaint, mostly white in contrast to the black paint of the others. _ Okay, my dreams never showed the faces of the warriors before and now they're people I know? What the fuck?  _

"Happy birthday, Klark." Lexa's voice caused the blonde to spin on her heel, with a wide smile and then gasp when she laid eyes on the brunette. She looked very different than Clarke had ever seen her, wearing armor and warpaint.  _ Like my dreams, only it's… _

"Lexa?" The blonde asked with wide eyes and the brunette nodded with a smile, as Clarke pulled her into a hug. "What is this place? I've been dreaming about it for months..." The blonde asked as she pulled away and Lexa gave her a small smile, then looked around the battlefield.

"A memory. This is the day we exiled Maunon to the place you are now. It was a brutal battle and many lives were lost on both sides." The brunette explained and the blonde realized the reason she had been dreaming about this battle.  _ It's when all of this started... _

"When the prophecy about us being soulmates and me destroying Maunon was made." Clarke clarified and the brunette's face filled with disappointment, likely not happy that the blonde knew the truth.  _ You've been trying to keep it from me so I didn't think I had no choice… it was sweet, but I'm not a kid anymore. _

"They told you…" Lexa scanned the blonde's face closely and Clarke nodded.

"It's a lot to handle… it makes sense, you and me. Explains all of the weird shit I feel about you." The blonde replied with a sigh and in truth the whole thing was confusing, yet seemed right at the same time.  _ Lexa's protected me since the day we met and made me a priority, with the exception of the spell. I feel safe when I'm with her and broken when I'm not. _

"I'm sorry that I kept it from you, Klark." Lexa replied genuinely and the blonde smiled mischievously.  _ I can only imagine what would have happened if she had. _

"I'm not. You did the right thing, you were trying to protect me and I appreciate it. Could you imagine what would have happened if you told me when I thought I was the princess of the world? I'd be living in a fucking pink castle the size of a small country right now." Clarke chuckled at the image of it, knowing that the brunette had a very difficult time saying no to the blonde.  _ Is it because we're soulmates? Lexa says no to people all the time, just not me. _

"Very true." Lexa laughed.

"You look like some kind of a badass warlord." Clarke offered and the brunette shrugged nonchalantly.  _ It's kinda hot too… is that weird? _

"I was. I didn't know that Fleimon would bring us here, though I should have. Your ancestor only said that it would allow us to speak through dreams, no matter how far apart we are. Becca also said that we would need it in the final war with Maunon and it would seem she was correct." Lexa explained and the blonde sighed, knowing they had to focus on their escape plan.  _ Now that we can talk, let's get us the fuck out of here. _

"So what's your plan?" The blonde raised a questioning eyebrow and Lexa's face went from amusement to frustration.  _ Uh oh, that's not good... _

"We are working to free you. I assume either Kane, Bellamy or Octavia told you about the spell that is holding you there?" The brunette raised a questioning eyebrow and Clarke nodded in affirmation.  _ They can't break it, can they? _

"Yeah. If we try to escape we end up back in our cells." The blonde grumbled and the brunette let out a sigh.

"Every member of Skaikru is working on removing the spell, but it will take time. Jake believes it can only be broken from inside, that is why we sent your friends as Emerson and Tsing." Lexa explained and Clarke couldn't help but wonder how they managed it.  _ Emerson said Finn died before he started acting like him. _

"Are they dead?"

"Not yet. Skaikru isn't as powerful as Maunon, so we have to keep them alive for the transformation spell to work. We have learned many things the hard way in recent months, it is incredibly frustrating. I had hoped we could charge through the portal to rescue you, but I was very wrong." Lexa shook her head and the blonde knew it was a shot in the dark.  _ Maunon won't go down that easily. _

"I knew it wouldn't be easy, they've been working a long game since before I was born." Clarke offered, mostly to herself and thought about all the trouble they had gone to.  _ They put a spell on everyone, replaced people and kidnapped us. Dante has been playing us from the beginning. _

"What do mean, Klark?" Lexa's face filled with confusion and the blonde realized that they would have no idea how far Maunon went to capture Clarke.  _ Oh god, dad doesn't know... _

"My mom… she was Maunon. She played dad, you and everyone else from the moment she met dad, in order to free her people. Her father is the king of Maunon and he says it was part of the plan to create me, though they didn't realize it until I was born." Clarke explained and gave the brunette a moment to consider the new information.  _ It's fucked up, I know. _

"Klark… I'm so sorry. We thought she was under a spell…" Lexa closed her eyes tight as she took a deep breath and shook her head, likely berating herself for not knowing.  _ Mom fooled everyone, don't blame yourself. _

"I've had four months to deal with it. Why don't they speak Trig? I knew mom didn't understand it, but neither do they." The blonde raised an eyebrow and Lexa shrugged.

"We don't know. They have never spoken it, even a thousand years ago. Becca believed it had something to with them being dark witches. I'm so sorry, I had hoped that you would be free by now..." Lexa answered and Clarke let out a deep sigh.  _ There's a spell keeping us from leaving and one to keep them from attacking. I'm the only one that can break spells with my presence. Shit. _

"I have an idea. You aren't going to like it, but it's the only guaranteed way we can bring them down for good." The blonde offered and Lexa looked to her for an explanation. "Wait until my eighteenth birthday and then our people can attack because the spell will be broken. Set your army outside of the portal and once the spell breaks, they can't stop you." Clarke finished and the brunette shook her head adamantly, not that it was a surprise.  _ Believe me, I don't want to be stuck here either but if I can break all of the spells, it's worth the risk. _

"Klark, I am  **not** leaving you there for another year. It's already been a year and a half, there has to be another way." Lexa argued and the blonde gave her a soft smile.  _ I knew you'd say that. We can't leave and you can't enter, it's the only way. _

"I said you wouldn't like it, but it makes sense. The five of us will be able to escape and your warriors can enter to wipe them out. Any Maunon that try to leave this plane, will be stopped by your army and I can fulfill the prophecy to destroy Maunon." Clarke argued and it was obvious that Lexa agreed it was their best chance, though she was unhappy about it.  _ Argue all you want, we both know this is the best option. _

"Klark…"

"We both know the love spell on you is broken and you can't say no to me anymore. We're doing this my way. Get as many witches inside as you can until then. I overheard Dante discussing sending people out to prepare for their escape. They can only stay out for a few hours and that should give you all the time you need to capture, then replace them. On my birthday, when the spell breaks, the Skaikru inside will start the attack and your men will catch any that go through the portal." Clarke gave the brunette a confident smile, knowing that it was a solid plan and Lexa would have no choice but to agree.  _ This is where she argues it isn't safe... _

"Klark, what if they try to kill you once the spell is broken? They will have no need to keep you alive once they are free and it would be foolish considering you are meant to destroy them." Lexa shook her head defiantly and the blonde crossed her arms in front of her.  _ I'll be in just as much danger as I am now, but there will be will Skaikru inside to help me. _

"Lucky for me, I have a badass vampire warlord for a soulmate and she will kill anyone that tries to hurt me. Now stop arguing, because we both know I'm right." Clarke smirked and the brunette gave her a defeated look.

"Fine, but you will not take any unnecessary risks. You wait until Anya, Gustus or myself are with you before you start attacking your captors." Lexa gave her a stern look and the blonde chuckled. "I'm serious, Klark!" The brunette demanded and Clarke smiled triumphantly.

"Even Maunon knows you can't deny me when I make up my mind, so why bother pretending? The only time you've ever said no to me was when you were under a spell. I'll be careful, I promise." The blonde finished with a grin and Lexa rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You are going to be the death of me, Klark." The brunette grumbled and the blonde shook her head in disagreement.

"Nope, I've been promised an eternity with you ruling our people so dying isn't allowed. I can talk to you anytime I want using Fleimon, yeah?" The blonde raised a questioning eyebrow and the brunette nodded.  _ Please say yes, I need someone to talk to. _

"In our dreams, yes." Lexa answered and Clarke gave her a wide smile.

"Good. I think it'll keep me from losing my mind. You have no idea how boring being locked in a cell, especially since my only visitor is my psychotic grandfather." The blonde offered and suddenly the sky went from light to dark, causing a confused look on Clarke's face.  _ What the hell? _

"It must be morning, time moves differently here. I will see you soon, Klark." Lexa gave the blonde a hug and then a smile as she pulled away.

"I'm counting on it, Heda." Clarke replied and the battlefield around them faded into darkness, then the brunette disappeared.  _ One more year of this shit and then Maunon is going down. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the attack on Maunon.


	14. Ascension Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and leaving comments! I love the feedback.

**October 23, 2012**

**8:00 p.m.**

  
  


"I want to talk to them." Jake sighed and Lexa shook her head in disagreement, knowing that they would only upset him more.  _ These witches are proud and think they are superior to all of us.  _

"Jake, I don't think that it is a good idea…" Lexa countered and the witch ran his hands through his hair with frustration.

"The woman I loved for almost twenty years is the enemy and has been from the moment we met!!! I need answers Lexa, I need to know why!" Jake insisted and the brunette pinched the bridge of her nose.  _ We both know the answer to that, my friend. _

" **Klark** is why, you know that. These people are going to try to upset you and given the situation, it will be easy. I’m so sorry that Abby did this and I know exactly how it feels to find out your relationship was a lie, speaking to them will change nothing. It will not make you feel better, only worse." Lexa gave her friend an apologetic look and could see the Griffin stubbornness in his eyes, knowing he would not let it go.  _ Why must all Griffins be hard headed? _

"Let me talk to them, Lex. If you're afraid that they'll hurt me, then come with me and hear what they have to say." Jake argued and Lexa let out a sigh, then led him to the cells. It had been nearly a century since these cells had been used, up until the day Clarke was presumed dead. Heda freed the Azgedans when Clarke's message advised them of Maunon's involvement in all of this and promised to make amends. Luckily, the Azgedans were more focused on blaming Maunon for their imprisonment than Lexa for falling into their trap. Now, the brunette had them filled with the dark witches in hopes of rescuing Clarke and replacing the dark witches with Skaikru.  _ We will free you, I promise.  _ Dozens of them were imprisoned and glared at them as they passed by, unable to use magic while in their cells.  _ Not risking a replay of eight years ago. _

"Well, well… if it isn't a pathetic excuse for a witch and his equally pitiful Heda." Emerson sneered as they entered and Lexa clenched her jaw to avoid reacting to his taunts. This witch in particular had a knack for pushing people's buttons, that was a large part of the reason why she did not want Jake to speak with him.  _ He will try to infuriate you, be cautious. _

"Is it true? Abby was one of your people?" The Skaikru witch demanded and glared at the Maunon witch, who rolled his eyes dramatically. 

"Abby was more than one of our people, she was meant to be our Queen after Dante's death and your bitch daughter murdered her." Emerson smirked wickedly as both Jake and Lexa balled their fists in anger.  _ Don't kill him, we need him.  _ It took everything the brunette had not to kill the Maunon they imprisoned in the time Clarke was held captive. It helped somewhat, being able to speak with the blonde in their dreams and yet it also made Lexa more angry about the situation. Each visit made the brunette feel more protective and the once confusing emotions, were becoming much less so.  _ We belong together, I am certain of that now. _

"You wouldn't try to kill the person that shot you twice and killed your girlfriend?" Lexa raised an eyebrow and the dark witch laughed maniacally.  _ The moment Clarke is free, I will enjoy watching him die. _

"Oh, that Azgeda bitch isn't Clarke's girlfriend any more than Ontari was yours, it was all a spell to keep you two apart and it worked like a fucking charm. You broke Princess Blondie's heart and crushed it into a million little pieces, then walked away like she meant nothing to you. Fucking brilliant piece of magic, if you ask me." Emerson looked like he was enjoying himself and it made Lexa feel sick, knowing that he was completely evil.  _ He enjoys hurting people, I can see it in his eyes. Like he feeds off it... _

"Why? Why would you want to hurt a little girl? My daughter did  **nothing** to you!" Jake shook his head in disbelief, likely coming to the same conclusion as Lexa and gave the dark witch a disgusted face. 

"Your bratty daughter nearly killed me! I thought she'd just use magic and then Abby would teach her how to use it properly!" Emerson answered, causing a look of confusion on Jake and Lexa’s faces.  _ Huh? _

"What are you talking about? Did this happen while Abby was torturing her?" The Skai witch asked and the dark witch rolled his eyes, then chuckled.

"No, dumbass. You and your people really are completely clueless, aren’t they? When she turned vampire on her ninth birthday, if Nia hadn't stopped her…" Emerson was cut off by the brunette, who knelt down so that she was eye to eye with him.

"Klark attacked the Collins boy, I was there. Speak true." Lexa glared at him and the look on the dark witch’s face suggested he had some sick trick up his sleeve.  _ What have you done? _

"Who do you think I was, Heda? Having the portal right next to the school allowed me to go back and forth to reset my time in this plane." The dark witch grinned maliciously and the brunette backed away from him at the realization.  _ The kid that’s been picking on Clarke? She kept insisting he was just a bully, but he was a monster!! _

"Wait,  **you're** the prick that's been bullying my little girl? You’re an adult and she’s just a kid!!" Jake rushed forward and grabbed the dark witch by his shirt, glaring down at him angrily.

"Yep, though I assure you she isn’t a kid anymore, she’s filled out quite nicely in the last two years. Someone had to make sure the spells were working and keep her feeling helpless. Poor Princess Clarke, spoiled rotten and then abandoned by her Sugar Mama, with only her limp dick daddy to protect her." Emerson replied with a mocking voice and then grinned when Lexa caught Jake’s fist in the air, then shook her head.  _ We can’t hurt him, not yet... _

“Jake, he wants you to make him bleed so the spell that makes Bellamy look like him will break. Chil yu daun, ai lukot.” The brunette whispered and Jake took several deep breaths before he spoke again.  _ That’s it, calm yourself. _

"And Abby? Was any of that real?"

"Ha! That's a fucking laugh. Abby never loved you, you were a job to her and nothing more. All those business trips you went on, she was banging me in your own fucking bed." Emerson let out an evil laugh and once again, Lexa had to keep Jake from attacking.  _ Trust me, if we didn’t need him unharmed for the spell, I would let you beat the shit out of him. _

"Why did she torture her own daughter?" Lexa asked, trying to get him off subject so Jake could calm down.  _ He’s had years to deal with her hurting Clarke, it’s not as fresh for him. _

“It kept her weak and numbed the sire connection with you. The weaker Clarke was, the less likely she would be to break the spell we put on all of you. Best part is the brat had no clue that Abby was taking her back and forth to the realm you banished us to. She came willingly, like she would have this last time if not for her fake girlfriend. I have to ask, Heda. Did Clarke break the spell on you too, or was it just because Echo spent so much time screwing your soulmate? It must bother you that the Azgeda bitch got to go there first, even without the spell." Emerson replied, smirking and Lexa narrowed her eyes.  _ Fuck you for being an asshole, but I’m not letting you get to me. I know they never slept together and you obviously didn’t know Clarke knew the truth. _

"I wasn't aware the spell on Echo had been broken." Lexa redirected the conversation and the dark witch shrugged.

"Only enough for her to realize that I wasn't Finn when she caught Abby and I talking at the school before we attacked. Bitch called her aunt to warn her, so we had to send a team to collect her and Roan. We got there just in time too, they were on their way to warn you about us. Any regular contact with Clarke caused those bewitched to have moments of clarity and that’s why we had to go to extreme measures. It was a massive undertaking, we spent an entire week casting spells at over a hundred homes, the school and workplaces. If the spell faded at school or work, it would be refreshed the moment you went home and vice versa. Then we made it so neither of you would be able to feel romantic love towards each other. In fact the very thought would make you feel sick, the last thing we needed was you two falling in love and fucking up our plan.” The Maunon answered with a smirk and Lexa scanned his face closely.  _ Is that why I couldn’t fathom anyone being in love with her? I’ve always cared about her, but never even considered anything romantic… until recently, which has been very confusing. _

“Until Clarke convinced your people to end the spell…” Jake interjected and the Maunon nodded in affirmation.

“Bet you’re feeling all kinds of wicked thoughts now, aren’t you Heda? Gotta admit, Blondie turned out to be quite the looker and it’s a crying shame that you’ll never get to lay eyes on those perfect tits of hers. Your soulmate loses her head at a minute past midnight and your people will be destroyed, Heda." Emerson gave the brunette a wicked smile and she flashed so that she was less than an inch from his face, smiling triumphantly with fangs extended.  _ Fuck you, asshole! I won’t let a sick fuck like you anywhere near her! _

" **Your** people are the ones that will be destroyed, Emerson. You've said it yourself, you had to go to extremes because of  **my** soulmate and Klark hasn’t ascended yet. Wanheda will destroy Maunon and burn them like the witches of old, I plan on being at her side when she does." Lexa turned on her heel, gesturing for Jake to follow and gave Gustus a nod. “Burn him alive at midnight, Bellamy will no longer need him for the spell and I don’t want Klark to ever lay eyes on him again.” The brunette ordered and the massive vampire smiled widely, then bowed his head.  _ He has been teasing and bullying Clarke for years, I won’t give him the opportunity again. I should have done this long ago. _

“Sha, Heda.”

  
  
  
  


*******************************************************************************************************

**October 23, 2012**

**11:45 p.m.**

  
  
  


"Ah! Clarke, welcome. I wanted you to be here when the portal opens permanently, so you can witness for yourself what your stay here was for." Dante smiled wide and was looking overly confident, the blonde hoped it would be short lived.  _ Please be ready, Lexa.  _ The last twelve months were both frustrating and strangely enjoyable at the same time, because Clarke could speak to the brunette each night. The blonde found herself looking forward to going to sleep so she could see Lexa and dreaded it when the Fleimon told them it was time to wake up.

"I thought it was for breaking the spell so you could kill my people." Clarke grumbled and rolled her eyes, no longer playing nice.  _ What’s the point? I already know they plan on killing me and I plan on doing the same once the spell is broken. _

"Well, yes. But I think you can appreciate the need for freedom, you have been trapped in your cell for two years and  **we** have been trapped for centuries. There are many people here that have never seen the outside and because of you, they finally will. That is cause for a celebration, don’t you think? Freedom." Her grandfather looked around the room at the dozens of Maunon and the few dozen Skaikru hiding in plain sight, in Clarke’s eyes.  _ Ok, so we have plenty of men inside… Now we see if the vampires can enter.  _

"What are you planning on doing with your freedom?" The blonde asked, trying to ignore the handful of Skaikru that were moving into position to fight.  _ Keep him focused. _

"I think we both know the answer to that question, Clarke. I understand that Lexa and her people are important to you, but they are the villains of my story. I am afraid you are as well, quite unfortunate that you are meant to destroy my people. I want you to know that this is nothing personal, as a queen yourself would you not do whatever it takes to protect your people?" Dante smiled down at her and raised an eyebrow, the blonde nodded her agreement.  _ Yep, that’s why I have to kill you and your people. Peace is never going to be an option, not after what you’ve done. _

"Yes."

"Then you understand why I cannot allow you to live, once the spell is broken. I'm very sorry, my dear granddaughter. Carl, once the portal is open cut her and her friends' heads off. Lexa will feel her death and the pain of her loss will be enough of a distraction for us to kill her as well." Her grandfather ordered and Bellamy stepped forward, giving him a nod.  _ He’s on my side, asshole. _

"Yes, sir."

"Goodbye, Clarke and happy birthday." Dante gave his granddaughter a wide smile and turned to face the witch that entered the portal, as the blonde struggled not to gasp when she saw him.  _ Dad! _ "Is everything prepared, Cage?" Her grandfather asked and Jake smiled proudly, then nodded.  _ Lexa said he took the news about mom really hard, I wish he had heard it from me. _

"Yes father, the enemy won't know what hit them." Jake replied, shooting a quick glance at his daughter and Dante put a hand on his shoulder.  _ Dad looks like he wants to kick Grampa’s ass! Good, I hope he does! _

"Excellent. Once we are free, we will wipe the vampires from existence and rule in their stead. Non magical humans will bow before us and the world will be ours. We will get revenge for your sister's death, my son and she will be honored for her sacrifice." Dante smiled and then frowned when Jake glared at him angrily.  _ Honored my ass, Gramps... _

"Abby will always be remembered as Wanheda's mother, but she will never be honored. You and your people will never be free, you will die today. Happy birthday, sweetheart." Jake finished and smiled triumphantly at his daughter, as Dante’s people looked at the Skaikru members in horror as the spell lifted. The portal opened and a wave of vampires entered, followed by chaos. There were screams and shouts from both sides. Spells and curses flew past the blonde from both sides, but none took hold once they hit their mark.  _ Because I’m here… magic doesn’t work around me anymore. Kinda awesome, actually.  _ Without magic, the enemy witches were forced to fight the vampires that had entered. Maunon guards rushed forward with rifles and electrified batons. The blonde’s breath hitched when she spotted her grandfather holding a gun to Jake’s head and relaxed when Lexa appeared behind him, snapping Dante’s neck.  _ Okay, that was strangely hot. _ Knowing her father was safe, Clarke realized that she needed to free Nia and the Azgedans from the cells. The blonde headed towards the cells, only to be stopped by her copper eyed fos who flashed in front of her with arms crossed.  _ That’s the ‘I caught you doing something bad’ look. _

“Where do you think you’re going, ai seken? Portal’s that way and I have specific orders to get you out.” Anya gestured to the portal and the blonde shook her head, then gave her fos a defiant glare.  _ Not in the mood to argue, we need to free them. _

“I have to free my friends and Skaikru is helpless with me nearby, might as well make myself useful.” Clarke said as she continued down the hallway and Anya rolled her eyes, then grabbed the blonde’s arm.

“I’m getting you out first, Heda commanded me to get you out of here before I do anything else and I intend on following my orders.” The copper eyed vampire shook her head and the blonde put her hands on her hips, looking at her fos like she had years ago.  _ Sorry, but we’re doing this my way! _

“I’m eighteen, On and that makes me your Queen. So either help me free them or fight with Skaikru, your choice.” Clarke looked the copper eyed vampire in the eye and then ran to the cells in a blink, her fos came to a halt beside her.  _ I know you too well, Anya. _

“Sha, Haiplana.” Anya grumbled and broke open the first cell, Nia exited with a proud smile.  _ At least they’ve been feeding us, she’s as old as Lexa and Anya. We will need her in this fight. _

“Mochof, Anya en Haiplana.” The Azgedan bowed her head respectfully and Clarke pointed down the hall. 

“The fight is that way, kill any Maunon and protect Skaikru.” The blonde ordered and Nia’s face filled with a smile.  _ I promised her she could kill Maunon once we were free... _

“Sha, Haiplana.” Azplana gave the blonde a respectful nod and disappeared in a blink as Anya broke the lock on the next cell. Once the other two were freed, the three teens and Anya returned to the main hall. Bullets whizzed through the air, vampires blinked back and forth, killing the dark witches. Heda killed the witch in front of her, before meeting the blonde’s eyes and flashed in front of her. Anya moved to join the fight, after a nod to the brunette.

“You’re not supposed to be here, Klark!” Lexa offered with an almost panicked look and the blonde shook her head in disbelief.  _ Really? _

“The first thing you say to me after spending over two years as a prisoner is, you’re not supposed to be here, no thank god you’re safe or I missed you?” Clarke smirked and the brunette sighed defeatedly, then smiled softly.

“I am very happy to see you Klark and that you are safe, now get the hell out of here.” Lexa finished and the blonde shook her head defiantly, refusing to be ordered around.  _ You need my help and I’m technically your equal now! I’m supposed to defeat Maunon, so I am not taking a backseat on this!! _

“Like hell…” Clarke was cut off when the brunette picked the blonde up and flashed through the portal. “Are you fucking kidding me? We have to go back!!” The blonde demanded as the brunette set her on her feet and was surprised at the stern look she received from Lexa.  _ Is she really going to argue with me… now?? _

“No, you are staying here so I can fight without worrying about them hurting or killing you.” The brunette demanded and Clarke rolled her eyes, shaking her head.  _ Now is not the time to be overprotective, you need my help! _

“I am not letting you go in there alone, Lexa! What if someone uses a spell that could kill you or one of them is a better fighter?” The blonde countered and Lexa gave her an amused smile, as if the very thought was laughable. “I’m serious Lexa and that smile of yours isn’t gonna charm me, soulmate or not! I’m not letting you go in there alone!! What if you die?” Clarke demanded and Heda only smiled more, this time a confident grin. _ You moving to Paris was the worst pain I’ve ever felt and I can’t take you dying, especially now.  _

“You have never seen me fight Klark, I assure you that I can take care of myself.” The brunette retorted and the blonde set her hands on her hips, giving Lexa a challenging look. _ You are not winning this, no matter how gorgeous you are!! I will not be charmed. _

“So can I, we have the same fos and you could use a decent fighter at your side right now. We’re supposed to do this together, remember?” Clarke demanded and the brunette pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.  _ Just give in already, I don’t plan on letting you out of my sight!! I just got you back! _

“We  **will** destroy them together, once it is safe for you to do so. You are supposed to destroy them Klark and that puts you in danger, they will try to use you as leverage. I lost you for more than two years and I will not lose you again!” The brunette insisted and Clarke crumpled her brow in confusion.  _ I don’t know what I’m supposed to do… other than spend eternity with you. _

“How?”

“According to the prophecy, with fire. I will only be open to attack if I fear you might be hurt and I need to know that you are safe. Yu ste kamp raun hir, beja.” Lexa begged and the blonde closed her eyes, trying to think.  _ Fire… I need Raven and some help. Dammit, that means Lex gets her way.  _

_ Stay here, please. _

“Looks like you get your way, for a little while at least. I have an idea and I’m gonna need some help, send my friends out here.” Clarke sighed as the brunette nodded in understanding and then turned to leave. “Lex, wait! Promise me that you’ll come back to me, no dying or anything.” The blonde grabbed Lexa’s arm and pulled the brunette into a tight hug, not wanting to be separated from her.  _ She can’t die, can she? I mean the prophecy says we’ll be together for eternity, but she thought I was dead… maybe we can die. _

“I will always come back to you, Klark. Ai swega em klin, ai Haiplana.” Lexa smiled widely as she pulled out of the hug and tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. “I promised you an eternity with me, ruling by my side and I plan on keeping that promise. After all, you’ve already picked your room in the mansion and many of our people have grown rather attached to you. I’m afraid I’ll face a coup if I change my mind now.” The brunette gave her a playful smile and the blonde gave Lexa a stern look.  _ I’m gonna hold you to that! _

“You better, or I’ll kick your ass for breaking your word.” Clarke smirked and the brunette flashed back through the portal with a smile, just as a familiar face rushed towards the blonde.  _ Today’s my lucky day... _

“Clarke! You’re safe!” Raven exclaimed as she pulled the blonde into a hug and Clarke gave her a huge smile.  _ Perfect person at the perfect time. _

“You are exactly the person I needed to find, Rae. Wanna start the biggest fire known to man?” The blonde asked and received an overly excited reaction from her foster sister.  _ Suggesting Rae blows something up is like waving a carrot in front of Bugs Bunny, works every time. _

“ALWAYS!! Let me guess, chicken fried Maunon?” Raven smirked and the blonde nodded with a smirk of her own.  _ And we’re right next to a school, so there must be supplies we can use inside... _

“Yep.”

“I think most of what I need is in the chemistry lab, but we’ll need fuel to keep it burning so you kill all of them.” The human started to pace as she thought of a way to start the fire and chewed on her bottom lip. 

“Haiplana, permission to steal a fuel tanker?” Echo smirked as she appeared in a wave of air and gestured to a large tanker that was driving east, causing a wide smile on Raven’s face. 

“I like how your girlfriend thinks, Griff.” The latina smirked and the two immediately shook their heads.  _ Nope, we are not going there... _

“We’re not girlfriends.” Both vampires replied in unison and Raven chuckled, then shrugged.  _ At least we’re on the same page on this... _

“Shame, you were cute together… in an incredibly nauseating way. Well, don’t just stand there not Clarke’s girlfriend, he’s getting away!” Raven pointed frantically at the escaping truck, obviously not thinking that Echo could move faster than the trunk and then smiled at her friends. “Sweet, more help. C’mon guys, we’re gonna build a bomb.” The human walked confidently into the school, with two vampires and two witches close behind.  _ Here goes nothing... _

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was getting long, so I cut it... Not too bad of a cliffhanger. I'm working on next chapter and will have it up ASAP 😁


	15. Ascension Day Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of the comments! Work has been busier than expected, so sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy.

**October 24, 2012**

  
  


"Whahahah! Get up, get out the door." Raven did her best evil villain laugh and then began to sing as she handed the makeshift explosives to her friends.  _ Turns out, building a bomb isn't so hard, if you have Raven around…. _

"Seriously, Rae?" Octavia raised an eyebrow.

"There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town." Raven continued to sing and smiled widely, obviously proud of herself.  _ At least someone's enjoying themselves... _

"Alright, everyone knows what to do, place your charges and get the fuck out so I can drive a ton of gasoline into twelve of Rae's bombs." Clarke instructed and Raven sighed, then rolled her eyes dramatically.  _ What?? _

"20,000 gallons to be exact." Her foster sister corrected only to receive a bewildered look from her friends.  _ Again with the what?? _

"Huh?" Clarke asked, looking to the others for clarification and all but Raven shrugged.

"That's almost 84 tons of gasoline, not one ton. If you paid attention in math class, you'd know that." The Latina smirked and received a dumbstruck gaze from the three vampires.  _ Are we seriously getting a math lesson... now? We're in the middle of a battle, about to kill people and she's focused on math? _

"We kinda spent the last two years as prisoners, Rae. There weren't any math classes, just a bunch of bullshit from Klark's psychotic grandfather." Echo piped in and her cousin shrugged, with a mischievous smirk.

"We did pass notes right under their noses, guess that's kinda like school… OH, SHIT!!! We're gonna have to redo the last two years of high school, aren't we? I'll be old enough to buy our senior class alcohol by graduation and that's really fucking depressing." Roan offered, excited at first and then deflated by the time he finished.  _ Shit, he's right… we're two full years behind.  _

"Not helping, Ro." The blonde grumbled and her ex girlfriend nudged her with an elbow. _ Queen Clarke, eighteen year old junior in high school. _

"You sure you want to be the one to do this, Klark? You don't even have your license yet…" Echo raised an eyebrow and Raven smiled widely, nodding in affirmation.  _ Eighteen, no license and no diploma...ugh I hate my mom's side of the family!! _

"That's why Griff is perfect for it!! We've all learned how  **not** to crash, 'Queen Clarkey-poo' hasn't. Fire! Fire on the mountain!" The Latina looked almost like she might explode with excitement as she continued to sing and her friends collectively rolled their eyes.

"Let's blow these fuckers up!" Octavia clapped her hands together, gave everyone a nod of encouragement and the group of teens made their way back into the portal. The moment they were inside, Clarke was stopped by her copper eyed fos.  _ Well shit... _

"I thought Lexa told you to stay outside, ai seken." Anya offered with a disapproving tone and look, causing the blonde to roll her eyes.  _ I knew she'd tell you to make sure I don't come back inside!! Lexa just can't help but be ridiculously overprotective of me, can she? _

" **Technically** , I told her she gets her way until I figured out how to kill Maunon and now I have, this whole place is about to go up in flames. We need to keep Maunon trapped inside and get our people safely outside so I can burn them alive." The blonde responded as she placed her explosive directly in front of the portal and looked around to take a visual inventory of who was still alive. So far, it looked like they were winning by a long shot. Several dozens of Maunon had fallen and only a few Skaikru seemed to be wounded or cursed. The cursed ones were starting to stand up, the spells broken by proximity to the blonde. Her friends were making their way to their designated positions to place their explosives and everything seemed to be falling into place.  _ We're actually going to win this! _

"Fine. I'll warn everyone ai Haiplana, now get your ass the hell out of here!" Anya ordered and the blonde gave her a respectful nod.

"Sha, Seda." Clarke replied, knowing full well that she would be back once the charges were set and her people were out.  _ I'm the one that's supposed to kill them, so I'm the one starting the fire.  _ The blonde flashed outside and let out a breath as she crawled into the fuel tanker, giving Raven a wary look.  _ Am I ready to do this? I'm about to kill people... _

"Are the charges set?" Rae smiled hopefully and the blonde nodded in affirmation.

"Yep. First one is a straight shot through the portal." Clarke gulped, trying not to panic now that she was about to drive a fuel tanker directly into a bomb.  _ You can do this, Clarke… just try not to get barbequed. _

"Sweet! Once you hit the first charge, everything will go  **kaboom** so use your super speed and get the fuck out of there Griff. You'll only have a second or two before it turns into napalm city, last time I checked vamps don't do fire." Raven explained and the blonde nodded, mostly as a form of encouragement to herself.  _ You can do this, you're fast enough to get out. _

"According to Anya being on fire sucks, but as long as I get the flames out in time it won't kill me." Clarke replied with a shrug and hoped that the prophecy kept her from being vulnerable to death.  _ I can't die, I'm supposed to rule with Lexa and we're not even an official couple yet. _

"Dying is not an option, 'cos Heda will totally cut my head off, human or not." Raven shook her head and the blonde chuckled, imagining just how freaked out Lexa would be.  _ She's definitely gonna lecture me and she'll have that cute I was so worried about you look. _

"Don't worry, Rae. I got this." Clarke nodded confidently, though her nerves were very much on edge and she hoped Lexa was too focused on the fight to notice. The only emotions that the blonde was feeling from Heda was anger and determination, which Clarke was glad for.  _ No way she would be ok with me starting the fire, what she doesn't know can't hurt her. _ It was only a few moments before Roan, Echo, Bellamy and Octavia exited the portal with Skaikru behind them. Clarke started up the fuel tanker, grateful for the crash course driving lesson from Raven and Echo. They kept the truck far enough away to build momentum and for the spells Skaikru would use to keep Maunon inside to stay effective until Clarke burst through with the tanker. Skaikru had already thrown up a blue shield of sorts around the portal, presumably to keep the enemy inside.  _ Lexa is gonna have a fucking heart attack when she sees me and Dad will probably give me a high five.  _ As if hearing her thoughts, Lexa and the vampires emerged through the portal and Clarke hit the gas. The blue shield set up by Skaikru stayed up until the tanker was three feet away and the blonde barrelled through, aiming for the first charge. The moment the truck made impact, it was like watching in slow motion as what remained of Maunon stood in horror and then exploded into a ball of fire. Clarke flew out of the driver's side window and blinked through the portal with a fiery wall behind her. The blonde could see Raven jumping up and down with her arms raised in the air triumphantly. 

"Wooo! Burn witch bitches, burn!! Did you see that? BOOM!! Oh shit, Griff's on fire!" Raven shouted and then pointed at the blonde, who was frantically trying to pat out the flames. Jake waved his hand and said something incomprehensible, causing the flames to go out immediately. The male witch then threw his arms around his daughter and held her tightly.  _ I've got my dad back! _

"I missed you and I love you so, so much. I'm sorry you had to hear about mom from Lexa…" Clarke buried her head in her father's shoulder and Jake pulled back, lifting her chin with his fingers.  _ Mom lied and hurt us both, I should've been the one to tell him. The woman he loved was a monster... _

"Don't worry about that sweetheart, your mother did what she did and apparently it was fate. I love you, my baby girl and I'm so sorry that I didn't protect you from those monsters. I'm supposed to be the one that takes care of you and I let you get kidnapped, then couldn't save you..." Her father shook his head and the blonde gave him a serious look.  _ Nope, not your fault… Maunon are monsters. _

"Dad, none of this is your fault. They played everyone for years and there was nothing you could've done. The important thing is we beat them and they can never hurt anyone else again, our people are finally safe." Clarke reassured her father and Jake pulled her into another hug.  _ God, I missed him!! _

"I'm so proud of you for being so strong and brave these last two years. You are the most…" Her father smiled down at the blonde and continued to hold her close, only to be cut off by a familiar voice.

"What the hell were you thinking driving  **eighty four tons** of gasoline into a  **bomb** ?! You could have been killed!!" Lexa demanded, looking mortified as she arrived next to them and Clarke rolled her eyes.  _ Wow… she just doesn't learn does she? Wait, did she say 84 tons? Fucking Raven!!! _

"You seriously need to work on your approach towards me following a life threatening situation, Lex. I'm alive, no longer a prisoner and the bad guys are dead, so relax. Dad's not freaking out, he's just happy to see me in one piece." The blonde retorted with her hands on her hips and a irked tone.  _ You need to brush up on your social skills… maybe flirt more?? _

"My daughter has a point, Lex." Jake chuckled and shot his daughter a wink, causing Heda to roll her eyes.  _ See? Even dad agrees with me... _

"You Griffins are all the same and have been for centuries, stubborn as hell with a burning desire to do something incredibly dangerous…" The brunette shook her head in frustration and Clarke shot her a bright smile.  _ She's really adorable when she's worried about me... _

"We only do that because we love you, Lexa." The blonde batted her eyelashes and saw that the brunette was refusing to be charmed, though Clarke knew it was only a matter of time.  _ Try all you want, I'm going to win... _

"Hmph...you have a funny way of showing it." Lexa grumbled and crossed her arms in annoyance, only to be shoved aside by Clarke's copper eyed fos. __

"Well  **I'm** happy to see you, Klark  **and** I'm glad you're alive. You made me really fucking proud today, kid and during the last two years. You didn't give up and you outmaneuvered your enemies, those fuckers got a taste of their own medicine. Well done, ai seken." Anya interjected as she wrapped her arms around the blonde and Clarke smirked at Lexa as she pulled out of the hug. _ At least Anya loves me... _

"See? The one that's **not** my soulmate knows how to talk to me. Now you get to make it up to me by telling me how much you love me and missed me in the last two years." The blonde grinned triumphantly as Lexa opened her mouth to protest and then pulled Clarke into a hug.  _ Ha! I knew it! _

"I missed you, Klark." The brunette yielded and the blonde smiled to herself.  _ You don't get off that easy, hot stuff. _

"And?"

"I cannot imagine my life without you." Lexa relented and the blonde raised a questioning eyebrow, pulling away smiling triumphantly at the brunette.  _ C'mon, just say you love me… _

"Bored now… let's go Jake." Anya grumbled and walked away with the Skaikru witch, obviously not wanting to get pulled into the conversation.  _ Or give Lexa a reason to avoid saying it... _

"And?" Clarke pressed on, determined for the brunette to give in. She didn't actually need Lexa to admit that she loved the blonde, Clarke could feel it from their connection and yet she wanted to push the issue.  _ The last year of talking in our dreams has been confusing… I know I'm not the only one whose feelings have changed. I see how you look at me and now that we're actually together, I'm not letting go. _

"Jok Klark, you just can't help yourself can you?" Lexa grumbled and rolled her eyes, causing the blonde to smile more widely.  _ Uhn-uh, you actually have to say it... _

"Nope. Now focus, you were about to get to the good part and don't forget that I was held prisoner for two years, therefore very much in need of reassurance." Clarke gave Lexa a hopeful smile and the brunette chewed nervously on her bottom lip, which the blonde found adorable.  _ Aww... she's nervous, so soft and strong at the same time.  _ "I know how hard it is for you to admit that you have feelings and it's especially difficult when you're in front of people, so I'll say it first. Ai hod yu in, Leksa. (I love you.)" Clarke beamed up at the slightly taller brunette, who finally gave into the blonde with a smile.  _ All it took was a push... _

"Ai hod yu in seintaim, Klark." Lexa replied and the blonde hooked arms with the brunette with a satisfied smile, then led her through the crowd of people.  _ See how easy that was? _

"It wasn't  **so** bad, was it? I mean now that I'm technically your queen, it wouldn't be considered taboo to say it, right?" Clarke asked, looking around at Skaikru and the vampires surrounding them. Everyone was too busy congratulating each other on their victory against Maunon, they didn't seem to care what she and Lexa were discussing. _ I didn't even embarrass you... _

"I suppose not." The brunette replied with a subjugated tone and gave the blonde a soft smile.  _ Okay, so I would totally love for big strong Heda to get all mushy with me and I know it's a long shot... _

"Good, because I expect to hear a lot more of that in the future. Can't have your queen thinking you don't love her… oh, plus lots of comments about how beautiful and smart I am!" Clarke gave her a playful grin and Lexa came to a halt, scanning the blonde's face closely.  _ Yes, ma'am I'm serious!! _

"You're fucking relentless, Klark." The brunette sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, causing Clarke to giggle.  _ Okay, so us flirting is new but I really fucking love it!! _

"Yep and you love me for it, don't you?" The blonde batted her eyelashes, bringing a chuckle and a smile from the brunette.  _ Resistance is futile, Lex... _

"Sha, ai Haiplana." Lexa nodded in affirmation and Clarke couldn't help the lovestruck look she gave the brunette.  _ God, this should be weird... shouldn't it? But it feels totally normal. _

"Before you two move into vomit inducing territory, I think we all deserve to party! It's Griff's eighteenth birthday, the prisoners have been freed and Maunon is scortchified. What do you say, Heda?" Raven inserted as she approached and Lexa shrugged, shooting a inquiring look at the blonde. Clarke smiled wide at the fact that Lexa checked with her and nodded her agreement.

"Sha, Reivon. We can have a party, though it is two in the morning…" Once again, the brunette silently verified Clarke's opinion before committing to anything and the blonde tried to hold back her glee.  _ Oh this Queen shit is gonna be awesome!!! _

"No time like the present, right Griff?" Raven replied with a snicker and though a party seemed due, the blonde needed time to decompress.  _ Lexa's right, it's two a.m. _

"How about tonight? I wanna spend the day catching up on the last two years with you and Dad." Clarke suggested and her foster sister's eyes went wide, with a smile to match.

"Deal!! You have  **got** to watch Game of Thrones! You'll love it… just don't get too attached to any characters or think any hopeful thoughts. We also have Netflix so the world is yours, my friend. Let's get this one home, Papa G." Raven offered and the Skaikru witch smiled widely, wrapping an arm around his daughter.

"Agreed." Jake placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead and Clarke gave him a tender hug, then glanced at the brunette.

"You can join us, Lex. If you want…" The blonde was cut off when Lexa shook her head and folded her hands behind her back.  _ Back to being Heda... _

"You should spend time with your family, Klark. Besides, I have to get the mansion ready for a party… any special requests? I know you don't like to be spoiled but it is your…" The brunette offer and it was the blonde's turn to interject, needing the extra attention.  _ I know it's kinda shallow of me... _

"Spoil away, at least for a few days… if you don't mind." Clarke sent a bashful smile the brunette's direction and hoped not to be given too much greif about her reversal.  _ I was a prisoner for more than two years, I could stand a good pampering to remind me how much I'm loved.  _

"I am happy to do so, Klark. I will text you the details for the party and send Gustus by your house, he's missed you greatly." Lexa gave her a sincere smile and the blonde's heart skipped at the thought of the massive vampire.  _ God, I've missed him… he gives the best hugs ever!! I could use one of those right now... _

"Mochof, Heda. I missed my great big teddy bear, too." Clarke smiled and the brunette gave her a respectful nod, then headed towards their people. "Let's go home, guys. I want a hot bath and then chill time with my family." The blonde let out a sigh of relief, finally accepting that the hell of the last several years was over and hoping that there was a long peace in her immediate future.  _ We need a break from eighteen plus years of lies and mind games. _

"You got it Griff! I've already been adding shit to our watchlist, if we binge properly we can get all of them in by Christmas." Raven grinned as they got into the backseat of Jake's car and pulled out her cellphone to show Clarke what she had prepared. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… we can watch movies on your cell phone?" The blonde's eyes went wide with surprise and wondered what else she's missed in two years.  _ That's so cool, I can watch movies in school… ugh, school. Don't think about it... _

"Hellz yeah we can!!" Raven smiled proudly and the two teens huddled together around her phone as Jake drove them home.  _ This is perfect, like I never left and yet there's this new tension between Lexa and I. In a good way, at least I think so… We'll deal with that later, now is family time. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter should be up Tuesday or Wednesday at the very latest. So far, it's mostly Clexa. 😁


	16. Discussing the Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and leaving comments! I hope you enjoy!

"Lex, I didn’t think I’d see you until the party.” The witch offered as he opened the front door and gestured for her to enter.  _ Clarke will be bombarded with questions and I also wanted us to have some time alone. _

“Indra brought something to my attention. I thought Klark and I should discuss it over dinner.” Lexa replied in an almost professional manner and her friend burst into laughter, then pointed at her.  _ What? _

“You’re wearing  **that** dress and you want to take Clarke to dinner? I gotta ask Lex... what are your intentions towards my daughter?” Jake smirked and the brunette couldn’t help the stunned look when he raised an eyebrow. Lexa chose this particular black dress to impress Clarke, not thinking at all how it might look to her father. _ Shit… this is actually happening… we're… in laws and it's definitely a 'look at me' dress. _

“I...”

“Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I am giving you and Clarke shit every chance I get from now on. She and Rae are upstairs trying on their new dresses. Gus came by earlier and took the girls dress shopping for the party. Apparently, Clarke had absolutely  **nothing** to wear in that massive closet of hers.” The witch smiled and Lexa turned her head at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, finding Clarke’s foster sister.

“Hey, Heda. Griff needs help deciding what to do with her hair, you should go help her. You will  **love** the dress Gus helped us pick out for tonight!” Raven smirked and then exited the room, headed to the garage.  _ Is she implying something or am I reading into it? _

“Up the stairs, second door on the left and Lex, no funny business. I'd hate to have to ground my daughter because my best friend is a bad influence.” The witch smirked and the brunette tried not to react, knowing that her old friend was enjoying teasing her.  _ I am not giving you the satisfaction of embarrassing me, my friend... _

“Mochof, Jeik.” Lexa gave him an eye roll and made her way up the stairs, considering the situation before her. It was strange and completely normal at the same time for the brunette. All these years of uncertainty, the emotional ups and downs finally felt real. The feeling was mutual, the brunette could feel that through the sire connection.  _ We’re falling in love with each other, but she may not be ready for us to head in this direction yet.  _ The brunette came to halt outside of the blonde’s bedroom, suddenly nervous to talk to Clarke and yet before she could change her mind, the door opened.

“You can come in, Lex. Sorry about the mess…” Clarke offered with a smile as she poked her head around the door and gestured for the brunette to enter. Lexa smiled as she instantly laid eyes on a painting on the other side of the room and walked over to examine it. It was obviously not finished, however there was no mistaking who the central figure was. Familiar green eyes stood out against the black, rorschach like design of the brunette's standard warpaint accompanied by her old armor and red cape. The brunette in the painting was sitting regally on her throne of twisted branches, as she had done so many times in the centuries before. Lexa didn't have to turn her head to know that the blonde was now standing behind her and there was a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Oh, um that's not finished yet…" Clarke cleared her throat, bringing a smile to Lexa's face. _Why is she so nervous? This is incredible, she's so talented._

"This is beautiful, Klark. Did you do this today?” Lexa kept her eyes on the painting, amazed at just how gifted the blonde was. The brunette half expected the figure in the painting to come to life and felt almost overwhelmed by the memory.  _ The day I formed the coalition of vampire clans long before the prophecy and two centuries before I met the first Griffin witch. Skaikru hadn’t even been formed yet... _

“Nope, before I was kidnapped. I kept dreaming about you like this, but I didn’t realize it was you until the Flame. Now I can’t decide if I like the warpaint or that dress better on you.” Clarke replied with a smirk and the brunette let out a gasp, as she turned to face the blonde. Clarke’s dress was the same deep blue shade as her eyes and highlighted all of the blonde’s best features. “Gus picked it out, he said it would leave everyone in the Coalition speechless and want to swear fealty to their new queen. What do you think?” The blonde asked as she spun around to show off the dress and smiled at the brunette when she shifted her stance uncomfortably, clearing her throat.  _ I  _ **_did not_ ** _ expect Gustus to pick out such a low cut dress… It leaves nothing to the imagination... don’t stare… you’re staring… really, really staring… think about something else... _

“It… looks amazing... you look amazing. I’m sorry, I didn’t expect Gustus to pick a dress that would fit you so… well.” Lexa gulped and did not miss the triumphant smile on the blonde’s face.  _ This should be weird, but it isn’t. I mean look at her… she is so beautiful, how have I not realized this before? _

“I’ve filled out in the last two years, at least that’s what everyone tells me. On and Gus said they’d be surprised if you can form words when you saw me in this dress. Something about you being a useless lesbian, or at least that's what Anya called you. Thank you for the cell phone, by the way… Anya said that...” Clarke replied confidently and seemed to enjoy watching the brunette failing to rip her eyes away. Lexa was aware the blonde was speaking to her, but was far too distracted to hear anything that was said.  _ For fucks sake, stop staring at her!! _

“Mmhmm.” Lexa bit her bottom lip and Clarke lifted her chin, forcing her to meet her eyes.  _ Shit, she noticed that I was staring…  _

“I suggest you work on your game face for tonight Heda, because I'm definitely wearing this dress. I’d hate for us to end up in another war because you’re too busy drooling over your new queen.” The blonde offered with a smug grin and the brunette gulped at the realization that Clarke was right.  _ How the hell am I supposed to get through dinner and a party with her in that dress? _

“I'm sorry, Klark. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.” Lexa replied, shaking her head with rosy cheeks and silently berated herself for acting like a horny teenager.  _ So embarrassing... _

“You didn't, it's flattering and I have half a mind to go buy more dresses like it just to watch you melt. You're pretty damn drool worthy in that dress too, Lex. Didn’t realize that you had legs for days...” Clarke smiled widely and gestured at the brunette's black dress with a long slit that showed off her legs.

“Mochof, ai Haiplana.” Lexa blushed looking down at herself and realizing her own dress left very little to the imagination as well.  _ Jake was right, I definitely wore this with the intent of getting her attention…  _

“So I overheard you telling dad you wanted to take me to dinner before the party?” The blonde changed the subject and Lexa nodded, relieved that they weren't focused on their outfits.  _ Subject change is perfect, maybe I can avoid making a fool of myself in front of our people. _

“Sha, Klark. You rarely allow me to spoil you and hoped that you wouldn’t mind if I managed to squeeze in dinner at Nylah's.” Lexa straightened her back, taking a more regal stance and the blonde scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. 

“You do realize that we’re both vampires, right?”

“Nylah’s has a special stock of wine just for our kind and I wanted you to see something in that neighborhood.” The brunette smiled hopefully and the blonde seemed excited by the prospect.  _ I hope she likes it or this could end in an argument... _

“You’ve got yourself a date, Heda. So...my hair up like this is good?” Clarke gestured to her hair, which was mostly up with the exception of a few loose curly locks and it made her look angelic.

“You look beautiful, Klark. Shall we?” Lexa raised an eyebrow and the blonde smiled widely, nodding in affirmation. Surprisingly… or perhaps because Jake was one of her closest friends, the house seemed to be empty as they made their way to Heda’s car. The brunette decided to go all out, since Clarke had agreed to being spoiled for a few days and had Lincoln drive them to dinner. The drive to Nylah’s restaurant was filled with nervous glances and smiles, neither of them certain how to act around each other.  _ This is why I thought we should do this... There’s this elephant in the room and I want it long gone before people start bowing before her.  _ Lincoln pulled in front of the restaurant and Lexa exited first to help Clarke out of the car. It was unwarranted, considering that the blonde was a vampire and yet the brunette knew that Clarke loved it when Lexa acted chivalrous.

“Mochof, Heda.” Clarke smiled as she took Lexa’s arm and seemed happy for the brunette to lead her inside. Nylah’s was busy tonight and the brunette was glad that she requested a private dining room. The hostess led them to their table as soon as they arrived and Lexa smiled at the blonde when she expressed that she was impressed at the fast seating. “Wow, this is really fancy Lexa. You didn’t have to go to all of this trouble…” Clarke offered timidly and received a wide smile from the brunette in return.  _ Yes I did, I would take you all over the planet and pamper you, if you'd let me. _

“You are a Queen now, Klark and I believe that you should be treated as such.” Lexa replied candidly and smiled when the blonde blushed.

“Are you trying to convince me to let you spoil me now that I’m officially ascended?”

“Sha, ai Haiplana.” Lexa shot the blonde a bashful smile and the waitress arrived to take their order. After a few nervous moments of Clarke trying to decide between blood options, the blonde finally suggested the brunette order for them. It never occurred to Lexa until now that the blonde had never been offered anything other than a bag of fresh blood and therefore had no idea that different types had slightly different flavors.

"So, not that I was eavesdropping purposely on account of me being a vampire, but you said Indra brought something to your attention?" Clarke raised an eyebrow and shot the brunette a questioning glance as the waitress filled their glasses.

“Our people will likely ask you about some things at the party tonight and I don’t want you to be unprepared for their questions.” Lexa answered after the waitress left them and hoped that it didn’t offend the blonde, going straight to business.  _ It’s part of your role to be involved in politics of our people now. Get the boring stuff over with and then focus on her enjoying her birthday.  _

“Such as…”

“Your living arrangements…” The brunette stopped with wide eyes, scolding herself internally for bringing up the  **last** piece she intended to discuss with Clarke first.  _ What the fuck? I probably made her uncomfortable… SHIT! _

“Are you asking me to move in with you before you've bought me dinner, Lex?” Clarke smirked and raised a challenging eyebrow, bringing a deep blush from the brunette.  _ I’m never nervous in front of women on a date, why am I now? _

“I uh… no, unless you want to… then, yes. Technically, you picked your room… but I don’t expect… until you want to…” Lexa stuttered, feeling unusually awkward and trying to make sense of it.  _ You are the leader of every vampire and witch on the planet, pull it together. _

“God, you are adorable when you’re like this! Do you do this with all of your dates, or am I special?” Clarke smiled widely at the brunette, who chewed nervously on her bottom lip and gave the blonde a bashful smile.

“You are special, ai Haiplana.”

“So… other than shacking up with the gorgeous Heda Leksa kom Trikru, what else is expected of me as your queen?” Clarke continued after taking a sip of her blood and Lexa realized that the blonde may have gotten the wrong impression.  _ Dammit, she probably thinks she has no choice and I wanted to tell her that she does. _

“Klark, I do not expect you to…”

“Our people expect it and most of them thought I should have moved in years ago, Gus told me while we were shopping. He also said that we can have separate rooms until we get to  **that** point in our relationship. Is that alright with you? Will our people accept that?” The blonde scanned Lexa's face closely and the brunette placed a hand on top of Clarke's.

“Klark, I will  **never** push you and I do not give a jok what anyone but you thinks.”

“I know, Lex. You have always been incredibly considerate of my feelings, which is very attractive by the way and I don't mind moving in with you. I mean who complains about living in a mansion? What else is expected of me now?” Clarke smiled brightly and then shifted subjects as she took another sip from her glass.  _ I suggest she moves in before explaining anything about her role, smooth Lexa. _

“Joining the council, learning about our business, familiarizing yourself with the treaties we’ve made with world leaders and clans. Titus and Nia have offered to help teach you. Once you have learned what you need to, you will take an active part in leading our people.” Lexa explained and the blonde shot her a curious look.

“What is our business exactly?”

“Practically everything. The companies we own range from food production to real estate to pharmaceutical companies to private protection and natural resources. We also have an arrangement with several world leaders to assist in any matters the humans cannot handle themselves, while staying out of human matters.  **We** will deal with the larger business deals and maintain the peace between the clans. I allow the clan leaders to handle the rest, unless we need to intervene for some reason.” The brunette answered and Clarke took a few moments to let it all sink in, before speaking.  _ This is probably way too much for her, I should've explained this while she was a prisoner but I didn't want to overwhelm her. _

“What about high school… do I have to finish?”

“That is up to you, Klark. I never attended school and neither did many of our people. If you wish to attend you may, or I could arrange for a tutor if you would prefer it. Titus and Nia will work around your schedule. You have plenty of time to think about it, no rush.” Lexa assured the blonde and Clarke chewed adorably on her bottom lip as she considered her options.  _ She really is gorgeous, isn't she? Even when she's nervous... _

“I’d like to spend some time with Titus and Nia before I decide about school. Is that okay?” The blonde shot the brunette a nervous smile and Lexa leaned forward, taking Clarke's hand.

“Klark… you are my queen and my equal. You do not need to ask for permission… for anything.” The brunette vampire offered and the blonde narrowed her eyes, scanning Lexa's face closely.

“But we  **should** discuss things, yes? I really enjoy how easily you give in to me, but I also want your opinion. We’re in this together aren’t we?” Clarke suggested and the brunette smiled proudly at her Queen.  _ Not so long ago, Clarke would have demanded that she was in charge. _

“Yes, we are.”

“Good. So what else will they ask tonight?" 

“Likely, details about our... relationship. You do not need to answer any of them, I do not plan on indulging them at all and I want you to know that you are not expected to do so. They will likely be… overly excited about the matter. Many of them are quite familiar with the prophecy…” Lexa was nervous about this part, knowing how open vampires are on the subject of sex and hoping that they would not make Clarke feel uncomfortable.  _ As Indra mentioned, what will you do if some jealous ex-girlfriend decides to be blunt or suggests some archaic Ascension ceremony.  _

“Relax Lex, I know how to tell vampires to leave me the fuck alone. Hell, I've been ordering them around since I could talk.” Clarke smirked and the brunette gave her a soft smile, then nodded.  _ Yes, you do… I don't know why I thought otherwise. _

“Sha, ai Haiplana.”

“Haiplana, Heda it is such a pleasure to have you both fine with us tonight. Haiplana, please forgive me for my candor, but you look stunning tonight.” Nylah offered as she approached their table and the blonde's face lit up with a bright smile.  _ Was that a simple compliment, or is Nylah flirting?  _

“Mochof, Nylah! This place is really nice! I love all of the art… you’re obviously a connoisseur.” Clarke exclaimed happily and Lexa realized that the two of them must have met before, given the familiarity between them.

“You know that I am, Klark. Which piece is your favorite, Haiplana? I would like to give you a gift in honor of your ascension.” Nylah was definitely flirting, there was no doubt in Lexa's mind now.  _ Back off! _

"No… I can't accept that, Ny. But I wouldn't mind you showing me all of them up close." Clarke suggested in a playful manner and the brunette decided that dinner was over, clearing her throat.

“Klark and I were just about to leave…”

“Oh?” Nylah raised a challenging eyebrow and then looked to the blonde for confirmation. 

“Heda is throwing a party, celebrating the end of Maunon and also my Ascension… you should come!” The blonde nodded with a wide smile and Heda's face filled with shock.  _ Is Clarke flirting back or being nice? _

“She should??” Lexa's eyes went wide and she hoped this was simply a misunderstanding of some kind.

“Of course! Nylah is one of our people, sha Heda?” Clarke asked and the brunette gulped before answering.

“Yes…”

"Then it's settled. We'll see you at the party, Nylah!" The blonde stood up and gave Nylah a hug, while the brunette tried desperately not to lose her shit.  _ They are flirting, maybe Clarke wants space... _

“I look forward to seeing you again, ai Haiplana.” Nylah replied with a wide smile as she pulled away.  _ I bet you do… definitely telling Anya to keep her away from Clarke at the party. _

“Me too!” Clarke replied enthusiastically and the brunette’s heart sunk, thinking that perhaps the blonde needed more time.  _ She's never had a  _ **_real_ ** _ relationship, only one with a love spell involved. Maybe I should have let Clarke have time to experience life before I suggested she move in. Oh, shit...what if she brings someone home?  _ “You are such an adorable mess, Lex!” The blonde's voice brought the brunette from her thoughts as she wrapped her arms around one of Lexa's and led them out of the restaurant.

“Sorry?”

“You’re nervous and jealous, it’s adorable. Lexa, you are without question the hottest woman I’ve ever seen and you’re afraid I will leave you for Nylah. Sure, she’s attractive but she’s not you, nowhere close.” Clarke gave her a reassuring smile, meeting the brunette’s eyes to make certain that she was taken seriously and Lexa nodded in agreement.  _ Thank God… I would not be able to handle her wanting to see other people. _ “So, where is it that you’re taking me before the party? You said there was something in the neighborhood...” The blonde changed the subject and Lexa gulped, hoping she would like it.  _ She'll either love it, or tell me I went overboard. _

“Just a little further…" Lexa led the blonde down the street for a few minutes and then stopped at their destination. "I thought you might want a creative space to work on your art, as well as a place to continue your work with the less fortunate. The art studio is here and there is plenty of room inside for you to hold exhibits. I spoke with Ontari and she has agreed to lend certain items to you. I also thought we could arrange for quarterly auctions, the proceeds will go towards the Clarke Griffin homeless project.” The brunette explained as she gestured to the large building she had purchased and smiled at the blonde's reaction.  _ She likes it and this isn't the best part…  _ Lexa turned and pointed at an abandoned brewery across the street that was undergoing renovations.

“Lexa…”

“That building is being converted into a homeless shelter, free clinic and rehabilitation center. The foreman assured me it will be finished by late November and we can open it by Christmas. It has more than enough beds for everyone and an old friend of mine is putting together a program for drug rehabilitation. Erik kom Skaikru will run the clinic, with funding and supplies from one of our pharmaceutical companies. There will also be a work program, learning skills for several types of jobs. Once they complete their career training, they will have a job waiting for them in one of our companies. Your former science teacher, Hanna kom Skaikru is married to an agricultural genius and he has already begun planting food in the back. The hope is that the shelter will eventually produce plenty of food to supply all of the homeless in the city. I don’t have the exact date for that but...” The brunette was stopped when Clarke squeezed her hand and smiled more widely than Lexa had seen on her face before.  _ She loves it! Well done, Heda. _

“Lex… this is so amazing, thank you so much!” The blonde shook her head in disbelief, looking like she had just won the lottery and it made the brunette's heart sing.  _ The way to her heart is charity with a tiny bit of spoiling mixed in. _

"It is my pleasure, Klark." Lexa replied and followed the blonde as she took a seat on a nearby bench. The two sat in a comfortable silence as Clarke scanned the area with a proud grin. 

"Is this what you pictured? You've known about the prophecy for over a millennium, yeah?" The blonde asked after a few moments and Lexa shrugged.  _ No, this is better than I pictured… despite all of the hell we have been through. _

"You have far surpassed my expectations, it is very easy to love you, Klark." The brunette vampire smiled at the dreamy expression on Clarke's face and congratulated herself for making her so happy.  _ It worked, it actually worked... _

"Look at you… admitting you have feelings." The blonde smirked playfully and Lexa shrugged nonchalantly.

"You can sense my emotions, Klark. No sense in denying the truth."

"If I didn't already love you,  **this** would have definitely won me over, Heda. So, what do we do now?" Clarke smiled brightly and it made the brunette's day, knowing that she managed to please the blonde.

"Be my date to your birthday party." Lexa stood up and offered her hand to the blonde, realizing that party would begin soon.  _ In half an hour, if that clock is correct... _

"Done." The blonde took her hand and walked back to the car, both content with how well this went.

"How was dinner, ai Haiplana?" Lincoln asked Clarke as he opened the car door for them and the blonde smiled happily.

"Perfect. This one knows exactly how to charm a Queen." Clarke replied and shot a toothy grin at the male vampire as she entered the car.

"Nicely done, Heda." Lincoln gave the brunette a wink as she crawled inside and received a confident smile in return.  _ It was easy to make her happy and I would do anything to keep that smile on her face. _

  
  
  



	17. Ascension Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading and leaving comments!
> 
> We get a Clarke POV for this one. Hope you enjoy!!

**October 24, 2012**

  
  
  


To say that her eighteenth birthday was the absolute best day of her life, would be an understatement. After the war Clarke, Raven and her father came home. First item of business was a long due hot bath, followed by putting on her most comfortable PJs and chilling with the family in front of the TV. Anya came by, just as they started to watch Game of Thrones and the copper eyed vampire seemed to believe it was a comedy. Anya laughed, called everyone idiots and screamed at the characters to 'Kill their whiny dumbasses already'! Then she and Clarke scoffed at the fighting while Anya braided the blonde's hair. Clarke had her adopted big sister back and it was the perfect way to welcome her home after two years of being a prisoner. That afternoon, Gustus showed up and gave her the biggest hug she had ever been given. Clarke lamented not knowing what to wear to a party now that she was officially a Queen and Gus demanded a trip to the mall. Rae and Clarke picked out a suit for the massive vampire while Anya found a dress in two minutes, that of course fit her perfectly. The copper eyed vampire laughed hysterically when she saw Clarke's dress and everyone insisted that she buy it.

"Lex is so fucked! I bet she can't speak… she may even faint!" Anya giggled and elbowed Gus, who seemed as amused. It was normal for the massive vampire, he enjoyed taking them shopping for clothes and always received strange looks from strangers due to his appearance.  _ If they had any idea how sweet and cuddly Gus is, they would feel bad for assuming. _

"Heda will speak eventually… but she'll stutter for a moment and say the thing she's the most nervous about first. Klark, you absolutely  **must** get this dress!!" Gustus offered with a knowing smirk and the blonde scanned herself in the mirror.  _ It is definitely a 'look at my boobs' dress... _

"It's pretty damn revealing, guys…" Clarke raised an eyebrow, though she was in love with this dress and hoped Lexa would like it.  _ Is it too revealing? _

"Exactly! That's why it's fucking perfect, Griff. You're her Queen, you gotta wow her and your people." Raven interjected, as she exited the fitting room with a smile and a look at me dress of her own.

"Heda and the whole Coalition will be bowing down in seconds. Klark, please let On and I buy this dress for you." Gus threw on a hopeful smile and the blonde scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion.

"How do I know if I wowed Lexa?"

"Just start talking shit about her being a useless lesbian and if she says 'mmm-hmm' Lexa is completely yours." Anya shrugged and the big teddy bear let out a belly laugh, nodding in agreement. Needless to say, she let Gus and Anya buy her the dress. They both mentioned that Lexa came home in a panic, desperate to throw the best birthday party ever and it was sweet.  _ Lexa wants to impress me, that's so cute… though I don't want her thinking that I'm going to just become this snob. There are things I want to do with this city, especially with the homeless. Self serving, I know but I don't know how else to make up for my sins.  _ Not ten minutes after Anya and Gus left them at home, Lexa showed up. Every second after that moment felt like a fairy tale love story and Clarke caught herself wondering if all of it was in her head. Dinner with thirty different kinds of blood that had the blonde's head spinning.  _ I didn't even know it was a thing… _ Then the big bad Heda got jealous over Nylah, who worked with Clarke several times with the homeless projects in the neighborhood.  _ That was  _ **_so_ ** _ adorable!  _ Finally, the present of an art studio and a homeless shelter on crack. It took everything the blonde had not to faint right then and there. Now Clarke and Lexa were exiting a limo in front of the Royal Mansion in an almost red carpet fashion.  _ It's like the fucking Great Gatsby or something… _

"Haiplana, Heda!! You both look so stunning! I was hoping to have a few words with Haiplana about..." Some random vampire offered as they entered and Lexa immediately went into protective mode, which was really hot.

"Wanheda isn't interested in speaking to the press until she has been prepared for it, Diana." The brunette grumbled, signalling that this woman was one of the people that Lexa referred to when she mentioned people bombarding the blonde with questions.  _ Well, here goes nothing... _

"Oh, Heda… nothing on record, I promise. I'm Diana Sydney ai Haiplana, you probably know me as the head anchor on TNN." Diana stretched out her hand and the blonde shook it, with a fake grin.  _ The celebrity gossip lady… she's always getting in their personal business and broadcasting it on national television. _

"It's great to meet you, Ms. Sydney."

"I was just curious about your rags to riches story, Clarke." The news reporter offered, the blonde understood why Lexa was feeling anxious and about to explode at the same time.  _ Seriously? Rags to riches.. _

"That is Wanheda or Haiplana to you." Lexa cut in, obviously not appreciating the woman's lack of respect. Clarke didn't mind going by her name, but now that she was ascended she knew there were certain formalities of her role.  _ Lex is so adorable when she's protective or thinks someone is disrespectful.  _

"Yes, of course. You were saying, Clarke?" Diana replied and the brunette's body stiffened at the obvious jab of calling her by her name.  _ Lex told you to use my title and then you still call me Clarke? What a bitch! _

"My dad is the COO of Trikru Corporations, it's not a rags to riches story…" Clarke shook her head and the reporter seemed excited to hear more, while Lexa remained tense.  _ Oh shit… Lexa looks like she might punch her. _

"See? That's just the kind of information that our people are interested in! From spoiled rich kid to prisoner of Maunon to Queen of the Coalition. I assume the sleeping arrangements are far better with Heda than in that horrible place. They didn't… touch you, did they? I've been told they were monsters… that would explain their fiery end." Diana finished and the blonde could feel the rage boiling inside her brunette date.  _ I need to diffuse this, or Lex may flip out on her... _

"Ms. Sydney…"

"Oh, please call me Diana. What I'm looking for is the real guts of your story. Like your relationship with Heda, who has been playing the field of ladies for going on two millenia. Here you are, fresh meat and basically a virgin in comparison. How does that make you feel and when did the two of you first sleep together?" Diana continued, obviously not caring that Heda was on edge and Clarke did not want blood spilled at her party.  _ Though if this lady keeps pushing my buttons, I may kill her myself. _

"Em pleni, Diana!" Lexa interjected, looking like she might rip the woman a new asshole and the blonde took her arm to hold her in place.  _ Easy, hot stuff... _

"Please Heda, I'm certain that Clarke doesn't mind. May I call you Clarke?" Diana responded with seemingly not a care in the world or fear of the brunette vampire.  _ I'd play nice if I were you, Lex is really protective of me... _

" **You may** **not**." Lexa growled with black eyes and the blonde had to throw on her best fake smile, the same one she'd used with Dante for two years.

"Haiplana or Wanheda, is fine. I appreciate your interest in talking to me, but I'm only nineteen hours into this so there's really nothing to tell yet. How about I give you a call when I have had some time to learn the ropes?" Clarke held her breath, hoping it was diplomatic enough to calm the situation and based on the reporter's expression, it worked.  _ Good, now go away! _

"Of course, Haiplana! I will send all of my contact information to your assistant. Who is that, by the way?" Diana quirked an eyebrow and the blonde panicked.  _ Assistant? Am I supposed to have one? Do I have one? _

"Uh…"

"Raven Reyes, token human, professional wingman, mechanical engineer, firestarter and personal assistant to Wanheda herself." Her foster sister jumped in and a wave of relief washed over Clarke.  _ Thank God, Rae will scare her off in no time... _

"Klark, maybe we should discuss..." Lexa gave the blonde a cautious look and Clarke decided to show the brunette a few things. AKA _ let Raven show you how to blow someone off... _

"Babe, let my assistant do her job that's what we pay her for…" Clarke wrapped herself around one of Lexa's arms and did her best trophy wife act, confusing the brunette.

"We pay her?? How much, exactly?" Lexa's eyes went wide and it took all of her willpower not to burst into laughter at the look on the brunette's face.

"I assure you that I'm worth every dime, Heda. Do you have a card, Ms. Sydney?" Raven smirked, then turned back to the reporter.

"I do! Here."

"Awesome, thanks." Raven replied while blatantly stuffing the card under one of her boobs, then took Diana's glass of champagne from her hand and chugged it. "Sorry, the pay is shit for all the hard work I do! Vampires have no idea what it's like keeping up with them, as a human it's fucking exhausting. Don't tell Heda I said that…" The Latina finished with a smirk while both Lexa and Diana looked like a deer caught in headlights.  _ God, I could just melt over how cute Lex is right now… a mixture of wanting to protect me and complete confusion. _

"Uh… w-what are your business hours?"

"Pretty much whenever the fuck I'm awake and mostly sober, unless I'm busy. Let's say noon to two in the afternoon, Monday through Friday?? Unless you bring Mountain Dew and greasy food, then I can go all day. Or coffee, **really** **really** strong coffee… the kind that makes you shit for days. Or better yet… booze! Bring any of those things and I am good to go. I know it's a shit diet, but my boss is a vampire queen, so drink up me-hearty yo-ho! Am I right?" Rae answered with a completely serious look on her face and Diana stuttered in return. 

"Uh, I suppose…"

"Sweet! So I've got your info, give me a couple of months to remember we had this conversation and I promise that I will blow your fucking mind. Nice to meet you! Shall we head this way, majesties? Your meeting with Azplana is about to start and you know how much she hates tardiness… later, Diana!!" The Latina finished and ushered the two vampires into the mansion, acting professional.  _ I love my sister!! _

"What the hell was that?" Lexa asked once they were out of earshot of the reporter and the blonde smiled widely at her foster sister.

"That was the best assistant ever! You were amazing, Rae."

"What can I say? I was born for this job!" Rae shrugged and the brunette shook her head in disagreement.  _ Aww… look how cute she is! _

"No… no, you are not… we aren't actually paying her are we?" Lexa had a stunned look on her face and looked to her date for an answer, who giggled happily.

"Lex, I have no idea how to pay anyone anything and I leave that shit completely in your hands. Rae was just fucking with her!" Clarke replied and smiled at the relief in Lexa's expression. 

"Please let me run interference like that all night! I love fucking with people!" Her sister begged and Clarke loved the idea.  _ Lexa said we're going to get a lot of this, might as well enjoy it... _

"I say we let her. Anytime someone gets too nosy, we just refer them to Raven." The blonde gave Heda a hopeful smile and Lexa's eyes went wide.

"Klark, she could start a war!"

"Nah, everyone loves me!" Raven shrugged.

"We'll let  **you** decide when to let her jump in, gorgeous. Whenever you're done talking to someone, we introduce them to Raven and she'll make them go away." Clarke explained, looking forward to playing this game and not feeling bad about it if the other people were going to be like Diana.  _ If they're going to ask about our sex life, I'm fucking with them. _

"Fine, but if she pisses anyone off…" Lexa rolled her eyes and both teens lit up with excitement.

"I will apologize on behalf of my drunken sister who somehow found a stash of hallucinogens in the mansion and is therefore  **way** too fucked up to know better." Clarke shrugged and Lexa once again looked horrified.

"What?! What did you take and where did you find them?" The brunette scanned the human closely and both girls giggled.  _ So serious all of the time... _

"It's just a cover story, Lex. I take it you've never had a wing man on a date...you know the friend who interjects when your date turns out to be psycho." The blonde offered and Lexa scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion.

"You don't need someone else for that, just knock them out or kill them." The brunette replied without skipping a beat, causing the teens to give her a look of shock.  _ Did she suggest I kill a shitty date? Not that I'll ever date someone else... _

"Ok, so apparently my new position comes with hiding bodies, so I'm gonna need a raise..." Raven suggested and once again, the brunette's answer surprised the blonde.

"Relax, I have a fully functional furnace and a heavy duty meat grinder in the dungeons. Gustus' dogs love the fresh meat, though Anya keeps telling me to get a pig farm. Apparently it's a better way to dispose of bodies..." Lexa answered and Clarke stopped in her tracks, scanning the brunette closely.

"Seriously, Lex? How many times have you… nope, nevermind… I don't want to know." The blonde shook her head in disbelief, while the brunette seemed to think it was normal.  _ I have a feeling that I'm going to learn a ton about vampires and how they spend their time. The unabridged version of it... _

"Why not? As Queen, you must have options…"

"I know you learned politics from the dark ages with all of your horrific torture devices you have upstairs, but that's not how mellinials do things. Nowadays, we tell people to fuck off, in a fun way… like I just did to that reporter lady." Clarke gave the brunette a serious look, half wondering how many times they would be disposing of bodies in the future.

"People  **my** age call that being impolite, Klark." Lexa gave the blonde a smartass smirk and the blonde scoffed.

"What the fuck is a heavy duty meat grinder and furnace considered?" Raven asked with wide eyes and the brunette shrugged nonchalantly.

"Planning ahead."

"Ok, so you're starting to scare your Queen." Clarke shook her head in disbelief and got a serious look from the brunette vampire.

"I would  **never** use it on you, Klark." Lexa replied sincerely, in an almost comical fashion.

"Okay, so you  **definitely** need my help tonight so no one ends up dog food for asking about your sex lives. Based on Heda's face when I jumped in, that's exactly where that last conversation seemed to be headed." Raven chuckled and received a grateful smile from the blonde. 

"I'll admit that I considered it." Lexa shrugged and got two sets of wide eyes in return.

"Rae, you are going to be our wing man so I can keep Commander Hot Stuff from killing anyone that might piss her off." Clarke suggested with a sly smirk at the brunette and noticed how the nickname made Lexa puff up confidently.  _ So fucking hot and adorable at the same time!! _

"More like Commander Heart-eyes…"

"C'mon, gorgeous. Show me how to party like a queen…" Clarke placed a kiss on Lexa's cheek and then hooked arms with the brunette as they headed to mingle. The remainder of the party was spent in a similar manner, meeting new people and throwing Raven at all of the idiots. By the end of the night, it was as much of a game for Lexa as it was for the blonde and her fake new assistant. Heda was even suggesting ways to piss people off and giggling like a schoolgirl after each encounter. By the time the party was winding down, they had managed to playfully tease everyone.

"So, when exactly are you moving into the mansion, Wanheda?" Corrine Talbert, resident gossip queen of the witch community asked with a mischievous smile and the blonde shrugged.

"We haven't exactly set a date… I like to be a free agent." Clarke replied and the human gave her a once over of the blonde's outfit, then smirked.  _ Backhanded compliment or inappropriate comment on our sex life in 3, 2, 1... _

"With that dress you're wearing, I'd be surprised if Heda doesn't lock you up in your bedroom for a week straight after the party! Just remember to come up for air…" Corrine offered with a wicked smile and the game was on. Lexa had explained earlier that Ms. Talbert had an aversion to violence, making her easy to blow off.

"Ya know now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure I saw chains in our room… is that for me, Lex?" Clarke batted her eyelashes and the brunette gladly played along.

"It was supposed to be a surprise, Klark. I'm still trying to decide who to eat first..." Lexa answered and the blonde's face lit up.  _ God, this is so much fun!! _

"Oh, babe that is  **so** thoughtful! Heda just  **loves** a good slaughter after these soirees, small talk builds the bloodthirst, doesn't it Lex? Rae, do we have space for Ms. Talbert?" Clarke smiled and shot a questioning glance at her sister, who pulled out her cell phone pretending to be looking something up.

"I'm sure I could squeeze in another human, though I should warn you that the dungeons are almost full of nosy shitheads. We may have to break out the meat grinder afterall, Heda. Are you opposed to sharing a cell, Ms. Talbert?" Raven looked up from her phone, with a serious look and Ms. Talbert looked horrified.  _ That was easy... _

"I'm sorry?"

"We can always save you for breakfast, if you would rather go home first." Clarke offered and the human shook her head, looking around for help.  _ Ha! Sucker! _

"You know, I just saw someone I must speak to. Excuse me, Heda and Wanheda." Ms. Talbert rushed away, leaving the trio full of wide smiles and giggles. 

"I must say, that this is the most fun I have had at a party in centuries, Klark." Lexa laughed, looking happier than the blonde had seen her before and it made the blonde's heart sing.  _ God I could definitely do this shit for an eternity! _

"I aim to please, Lex."

"Well ladies, I enjoyed the hell out of this but I'm fucking exhausted. Us humans can't stay up for thirty hours and still look amazing. Griff, I'll meet you in the car, okay?" Rae raised an eyebrow and the blonde nodded her agreement, trying to decide how to end the night.  _ My only dating experience is Echo and that was fake... _

"Yep, just give me a sec to say goodnight."

"Thank you for your help tonight Raven." Lexa smiled at Raven and Clarke could feel that the brunette really did enjoy her sister's company.  _ Good, cos she comes with the Clarke Griffin package... _

"Are you kidding, I had a blast! Though I'm pretty sure there will be chaffing from all the business cards I stuffed under my tits. Who needs a bra when you have those, right? Later, Heda. Griff, you got ten minutes before I take off!" The Latina waved goodbye and headed out of the mansion with a contented smile.  _ Perfect birthday! _

"This, was without question the best birthday ever, Lex. I had a great time and you are the absolute best date I've ever had, thank you so much!" The blonde gave her date a bright smile and Lexa seemed proud of herself for pulling it off.  _ You should be proud, you wowed the fuck out of me tonight! _

"No need to thank me, Klark. I look forward to making you smile like this every chance I get." The brunette shot the blonde a wide smile and slowly led Clarke to the driveway of the mansion.  _ I don't want this to end!! _

"I would not mind that at all. You are absolutely perfect, you know that right?"

"Far from it." Lexa shook her head and the blonde scoffed, not wanting the brunette to downplay her best qualities.

"Not true. You have been polite, charming, protective, caring and the perfect soulmate from day one. The spell bullshit doesn't count. Seriously, you loved me even when I was a spoiled brat and  **that** is a daunting task." Clarke corrected the brunette and Lexa chuckled, stopping a few feet from Raven's car.  _ Well, shit now what? Do I kiss her, or do I wait?  _

"You grew out of it… mostly" The brunette shrugged and smirked playfully at the blonde, who was suddenly nervous. _ This was so fun and like a dream. I should let her take the lead, right? Or maybe I should… fuck it.  _ Clarke managed to build up enough courage to cup the brunette's cheek and kiss her. It was surprising how gentle Lexa was, but she always turned into a big softy around the blonde. The brunette was obviously letting Clarke take the lead, which given her nerves was very appreciated.

"Go on a date with me." Clarke smiled as she pulled away, noting a dreamy expression in Lexa's face and it made the blonde smile more widely.  _ Perfect fucking birthday!! _

"Sorry?"

"Friday night, I'm paying and I can't promise anything this extravagant…" Clarke shot the brunette a bashful smile and began racking her brain on what they should do.  _ Something simple, that we'll both enjoy... without a million nosy people around. _

"It's a date." Lexa smiled happily and the blonde could almost bust.  _ If we were in a cartoon, I'd definitely have hearts flying around my head right now. _

"Thank you again for making two years in hell worth it. You get major brownie points for being so charming." Clarke offered

"Your happiness is my happiness, Klark." The brunette replied, opening the car door for the blonde.  _ She really can't help but be romantic, can she? _

"God, you really are perfect. So I'll talk to you tomorrow?" Clarke grinned when the brunette nodded her agreement, the blonde considered kissing her again, yet knew it would make her uncomfortable in front of Raven.  _ Maybe I should have suggested that Lexa take me home instead... _

"I look forward to it, Reshop Klark."

"Night, Lex."

"For second there, I thought you two would skip the rest of the way to the car after that kiss. Don't think I didn't notice there was no tongue in that kiss! You guys are seriously a big rainbow colored puddle for each other and if it wasn't so cute, I'd barf." Raven offered as she pulled the car out of the driveway and the blonde rolled her eyes.  _ Very funny, but you're not bringing me down from this high... _

"Oh, Rae… you always know what to say after a party…"

"That's what friends are for, Griff." Rae shrugged and then the two friends giggled the whole way home recalling stories of the night.  _ I am definitely loving this Queen shit... _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	18. We'll Always Have Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, here we are at the end of my little fic. I always intended on ending it at chapter 18 and technically this is 18. I've known the ending for sometime. It has been such a pleasure writing this and it is a relief to finally finish a story I've been working on for nearly two years. 
> 
> Oh, and SMUT ALERT. If want to to skip it just stop when Lexa makes an appearance.

**October 20, 2014**

  
  
  


“Mrs. Woods, so good to see you again!” The owner of the restaurant offered as the blonde entered and gave her a respectful nod. Clarke couldn’t help the smile that filled her face at being called Mrs. Woods because even a full year into their marriage, it made her heart sing.  _ Mrs. Clarke Woods, I always thought that I would keep my last name and yet I  _ **_love_ ** _ that everyone knows I'm hers when they say my name. _

“You as well Caris.” 

“I have your table ready, your guest is already seated.” Caris informed her and the blonde was glad she didn’t have to wait for the dark haired vampire to arrive, despite her being ten minutes early.  _ If Lex was here, we would have gotten here thirty minutes early. My wife hates tardiness and is always going on about being early allows you to prepare your thoughts. _ Despite her being Lexa’s ex-girlfriend, Clarke and Ontari were close friends, often talking for hours on the phone when the blonde was in the US. When Clarke was in France, the dark haired vampire would lead her through Paris and the countryside exploring wine country. When Ontari visited the states, she and Clarke would visit each of the country’s art museums and exhibits together. Lexa often joined them, though Ontari and Clarke were close enough to enjoy eachothers company without her wife present.

“Klark, I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you back in Paris! I know we talk all of the time, but I missed you, ai lukot.” Ontari smiled widely and opened her arms to give the blonde a warm hug.

“Me too, Ontari!”

“I heard you aren’t staying in the mansion during this visit.” The dark haired vampire asked as the blonde pulled out of the hug and shook her head.  _ That place is  _ **_way_ ** _ too big for just me... _

“Nope, I’m staying at the vineyard, it’s so incredibly peaceful and beautiful there. I love painting and sketching there without the noise of the city around me. Don’t tell Lex, but I would not mind living there permanently.” Clarke smirked and the dark haired vampire let out a chuckle, likely having gone to the same conclusion the blonde had. 

“Oh, I will  **gladly** keep that from her… otherwise she may ruin it by building a much larger house to spoil you and take away the quaint charm it has.” Ontari suggested and the blonde nodded in agreement. Clarke and the brunette came to an arrangement when they got married that anytime Lexa spoiled the blonde, she must give an equal amount of money to charity. Lexa was more than happy to do so, if it meant that she could pamper her queen and Clarke was content that they were at least making a difference.  _ If Lex had her way, the two of us would live in the largest, most decadent castle on the planet and I like smaller, more practical spaces. _

“I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks it’s perfect the way it is.” Clarke offered with a smile as she and the Azgedan took their seats at the table.

“Are you kidding, it’s beautiful there and made for a perfect wedding present. I’ll admit, that when I first saw it, I was jealous that Lexa had planned to buy it just for you. Even under that horrible spell, she always had you in mind and that is why I never visited it after she purchased it.” Ontari replied sincerely and the blonde couldn’t help but smile at her wife’s thoughtfulness. When she and Lexa went there years ago, the brunette didn’t mention that it was meant as a wedding present for Clarke in the future. Then again, she would have a hard time explaining her intent to the teenage blonde at the time. 

“My wife definitely knows the way to my heart, even if she loves pampering me.” Clarke smiled widely, remembering how easily Lexa caved when the blonde insisted on a small wedding at the vineyard and only invited their closest friends. Only Anya, Gus, Lincoln, Octavia, Bell, Roan, Echo, Nia, Ontari, Tris, Gaia, Raven and Jake attended the wedding. Their friends and family stayed in the Paris mansion afterwards, while the newlyweds stayed at the vineyard for the first leg of the honeymoon. It was perfect for the blonde and Lexa was happy as long as her queen was, regardless of how cheap of a date Clarke was. 

“How are the two of you adjusting to married life?”

“Very well. Lexa insists that we’re still on our honeymoon and despite the fact that we are both working full time, it kinda feels like we are.” The blonde beamed and knew that she most likely had her standard lovestruck expression that always accompanied thoughts of her wife.  _ I’m just as big of a romantic sap as Lexa is... _

“They say that the first few years always feel that way, then slowly taper off. Though I doubt that will be the case with you and Lexa. The two of you are just so perfect for each other and I am certain that you will be the exception to the norm. Will your wife be joining us for dinner?” Ontari smiled, then raised a questioning eyebrow when the blonde let out a sigh and frowned.  _ Four days apart… it’s almost fucking unbearable.  _ The two vampires never managed to be apart for more than a few hours at time, after Clarke ascended. The blonde moved into the mansion the day after her Ascension party and was surprised that absolutely no one scoffed about it. The only time they were ever apart was if one or both were working and Raven often gave them shit about it. 

“I’m afraid she can’t. She had to travel to the states to handle a few matters on the Podakru deal and won’t be back until my birthday.” Clarke grumbled and the dark haired vampire gave her a sympathetic look.

“Well, that’s a shame, though it will give us time to discuss your work and spend a few days showing you the new exhibits at the museum. I am so happy that your foundation has been such a success.” Ontari smiled, knowing the blonde well enough to change the subject to the second love of her life and Clarke smiled widely. The blonde had made quite a name for herself in the art community and she convinced hundreds of artists on the planet to donate the proceeds of sold artwork to a charitable cause. They let the purchaser of their work choose which charity the money went to and it made Clarke renowned throughout the world for her philanthropy. The blonde had even sold several of her own pieces of artwork and was embarrassed by how much they were worth.

“Only because of your help, I wouldn’t have even known where to start on that and you’ve helped me so much!” The blonde replied sincerely, because none of it would have been possible without Ontari’s help. The Azgedan had contacts in every museum on the planet and the art community rallied behind Clarke’s mission, holding events worldwide to gather money for charitable causes with art. The blonde decided to forgo finishing high school and instead focused her time on the various non profit organizations she now ran. That was her full time job, arranging the sale of artwork and working to get funding for countless forms of philanthropy. Scholarships, rehabilitation centers, free clinics, homeless shelters, free daycare for anyone that couldn’t afford it, animal rescues, restoring neighborhoods destroyed by natural disasters and much more. Clarke was not limited to Polis, she expanded her charity efforts to each major city worldwide and as such often travelled. Lexa would travel with her, spoiling her wife as much as the blonde allowed and then donating the amount she spent in order to please Clarke. 

“It is my pleasure, Klark. So, I assume that I’m your plus one to the Trishanakru dinner tomorrow night, then?” Ontari suggested and her expression suggested that she knew that Clarke planned to invite her. While the blonde spent her time volunteering, Lexa ran the company and handled the business side of things. Clarke was only present for the boring business dinners, business meetings with their most elite clients and clan gatherings. Ontari was a businesswoman, she arranged the transfer of valuable art and artefacts through customs in multiple countries.  _ I need some business savvy on my side so I don’t piss these guys off and Lexa loses the contract. _

“If you don’t mind, I’m still shit at navigating business deals and could use the back up.”

“Oh please Klark, you undervalue yourself. I’ve seen you talk the most stubborn CEOs, Ambassadors and world leaders into donating millions of dollars, dozens of times in the last two years.” Ontari scoffed and gave the blonde a challenging look, causing the blonde to crumble. 

“Ok, so I will amend my previous statement to say that I hate making trillions off the acquisition of smaller companies and I hate business meetings even more.” Clarke smiled and the dark haired vampire chuckled, nodding her head in agreement.

“I hate them too. I suppose it’s the artist in us, we crave creativity and peace over money. I am happy to be your plus one, though I should warn you that Ilian is rather annoying and will likely make an inappropriate comment about me being your date.” Ontari shook her head and the blonde knew exactly what she was referring to, rolling her eyes at the memory of her previous meeting with Ilian.  _ He’s such a creep… he doesn’t realize how lucky he is that Lexa wasn’t there. _

“Another reason I’m bringing you along. I had a meeting at his office a few days ago, he wouldn’t stop asking if Lex and I had considered adding a man into our sex lives.” Clarke shook her head in disbelief and the dark haired vampire feigned a gag, rolling her eyes. 

“Ugh, why must they always assume that we are just waiting for the right man to set us straight?” Ontari grumbled and the blonde shrugged in response as the waitress brought them some blood.

“No fucking clue and if Lex found out he said that…”

“Ha! Heda would burn him alive,  **after** torturing him for weeks.” Ontari laughed and the blonde nodded her agreement, smiling at her overprotective Heda.  _ She’s still so adorable that way. Maybe Ontari is right and we won’t shift out of the honeymoon stage of our marriage. _

“Yep.”

“So after dinner date with a chauvinist tomorrow, how about we go to the Louvre to clear our heads? Nothing quite like having the museum all to ourselves and I have a few special pieces I wanted to show you.” Ontari suggested and the blonde’s face lit up, knowing it would be the perfect way to cleanse after being mercilessly hit on by Ilian.

“Sounds perfect, thank you!”

“So, has Lexa mentioned her plans for your twentieth birthday party?” The dark haired vampire asked and the blonde shrugged, then shook her head. 

“Nope, other than everyone is flying in and staying at the mansion for a couple weeks.”

“By everyone, you mean…” Ontari’s face lit up with a hopeful smile and the blonde chuckled at her friend’s secret crush on Clarke’s ex-girlfriend.  _ They are so gaga for each other and so afraid to admit it to each other. Is it Echo, cos I was kinda the same way with her…  _ The year before Clarke and Lexa got married, several of their friends started pairing off as well. Though they denied it bitterly for months, Anya and Rae first hooked up the night of Clarke’s nineteenth birthday. Bell and Gaia soon followed suit, now they were living together in an apartment in Los Angeles while attending college. Octavia, who had a crush on Lincoln for years, finally got the courage to ask him out and they now lived together in Polis. Lastly, Roan fell hard for Anya’s baby sister Tris who he met at Clarke and Lexa’s wedding.  _ Everyone is happy and in love… except these two losers. _

“Yes, Ontari…  **Echo** and everyone else that was at our wedding will be in Paris for two weeks. You do realize that you should just ask her out and get it over with, right?” Clarke smirked and the dark haired vampire’s cheeks went rosy with embarrassment. Ontari was never shy about admitting that she liked a girl and yet couldn’t manage to ask Echo out.  _ They’re so soft on eachother… Echo gets super protective of Ontari, then stutters when she enters the room. _

“I know, I don’t know why I’m waiting for her to make a move. We’ve had so much fun the last few times we’ve seen each other, but she gets so nervous whenever we’re alone.” The dark haired vampire frowned dramatically and the blonde let out a joyful laugh at just how whipped they were.  _ Just tell Echo you like her already!!  _

“It’s kind of ironic, Echo hated you when we first met you and now she can’t form sentences in your presence. You guys should totally hook up, this is Paris afterall.” Clarke suggested and Ontari took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

“I’ll try.”

“Do or do not, there is no try.” The blonde shook her head and smirked wickedly, knowing her friend got the reference.

“Oof, you would quote Yoda. Fine I’ll ask her out, happy?” Ontari laughed and Clarke gave her a bright smile.  _ Not even dinner with a sexist douchebag can bring down my spirits for long... _

“We both know that I’m happier than should be possible.” The blonde countered and Ontari rolled her eyes dramatically, then smirked.

“You mean ridiculously in love. You could have the worst day imaginable and the second you hear your wife’s name, you perk up.” The dark haired vampire offered and Clarke nodded immediately, knowing that she was right.  _ Because I have the best wife ever!! _

“That too.” The blonde smirked. The same could be said for Lexa. No matter how many times they saw each other, the brunette’s face always filled with a smile when she looked at Clarke. Raven even made the comment that Heda was like a puppy dog that was always excited to see Clarke and it didn’t matter if she only left the room for two seconds.  _ I’m the same way, I just know how to hide it better. My wife has no game face whatsoever.  _ The blonde spent the next few days hanging out with Ontari and even stayed in her apartment in Paris, rather than drive two hours each day. When the dark haired vampire was at work, the blonde passed the time on the phone with her wife, friends and family as they prepared to fly in for Clarke’s party. Dinner with Trishanakru went far better than expected and the two friends had fun making fun of how infantile Illian acted. They visited the Louvre several times, as well as many of the sights Clarke had seen before. Paris was an artist’s paradise and the blonde was always in awe of the structures throughout the city. The night before her birthday, Clarke returned to the vineyard and hoped her wife knew her well enough to join her there.  _ Who am I kidding, of course she does... _

  
  
  
  


**\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**October 24, 2014**

  
  
  
  


"Lex?" The blonde stirred from her sleep, her sensitive vampire ears catching movement in the bedroom and smiled to see her gorgeous wife.  _ Yay, I have my wife back!! _

"Happy birthday, ai houmon." Lexa stroked her queen's face and pressed her forehead against Clarke's as she crawled into their bed. The blonde pulled the brunette into a long kiss and bit down on the brunette's bottom lip as she pulled away. 

"I missed you, babe." The blonde mumbled into the brunette’s plump lips and pulled Lexa’s body closer, unsatisfied by the feel of the satin nightgown against her naked skin.  _ It’s my birthday, I’m already in my birthday suit and you’re not... _

"And I missed you, Klark."

"Then why the fuck are you wearing a nightgown to bed?" Clarke placed wet kisses down her wife’s jaw and playfully bit her neck, eliciting a moan. 

“I didn’t want to make it too easy for you, niron.” Lexa smirked as the blonde moved to straddle her and then stripped off the offending layer of clothing. Clarke grinded against the brunette, desperate for friction and whimpered when Lexa lifted her hips so she could remove her underwear. The moment they were off, Clarke pushed the brunette on to her back and kissed her way down her chest.

"Klark…" Lexa moaned as the blonde tugged on one of her hard nipples with her teeth and ran her hands down her body. The brunette grabbed her queen's hips and flipped her onto her back with a playful growl. “Birthday girl comes first, ai hodnes.” Lexa smirked and Clarke let out a gasp at the feeling of Lexa's muscular abs pressed against her core. The brunette gazed down at the blonde with eyes nearly black with lust and smiled as Clarke's body shuddered with anticipation. "You're so beautiful, ai niron…" Lexa whispered as she ran her fingers lightly over her queen's body and smiled proudly when the blonde's pale skin peppered up with goosebumps. Lexa pulled the blonde into a bruising kiss, before placing kisses down her collarbone. The brunette kneaded at the blonde's flesh with her hands as she slowly covered every inch of her pale skin with wet kisses and then smiled up at her wife as she stopped between her thighs. Lexa parted the blonde's dripping folds with a soft lick, Clarke gasped and bucked her hips. The blonde entangled her fingers in brunette's soft hair, pulling her closer for more friction. Lexa hummed in delight as she tasted the blonde's juices, slowly licking upwards towards her clit and then running slow circles around the sensitive nub. 

"Fuck, Lex!" Clarke cried out at the sensation, her hands tugging at the brunette's hair eagerly and the brunette let out a soft chuckle. Hooking her arms around Clarke's thighs, Lexa flicked the blonde's engorged clit with her thumb and moved her mouth down to Clarke's honeyed entrance, then pumped her tongue slowly in and out of her wife’s hot core. Lexa's mouth and nose were soon coated in a generous helping of the blonde's fluids, as she worked at her opening. Each gasp and moan that left Clarke's throat was music to Lexa's ears, as was the shuddering muscles tightening around her tongue. The blonde let out a whimper when the brunette withdrew her tongue and then moaned loudly when Lexa slid two fingers inside. The brunette moved her mouth up to suckle the blonde's clit, flicking it with the tip of her tongue and pumping her long, slender fingers inside.

“Lex! God, I'm...” Clarke screamed as the pleasure ripped through her body and arched back in ecstasy, her walls fluttering around Lexa's digits. The brunette kept licking and pumping slowly to prolong her queen's high, bringing another orgasm as soon as the first one had ended. Clarke’s body was on fire, sweat shining on her pale skin and the pleasure was so intense that she saw stars. Lexa let up after a few moments, her face and mouth glistening with evidence of Clarke's pleasure as she trailed wet kisses up the blonde's shivering body. The brunette nipped playfully at her neck, before Clarke grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into a searing kiss, moaning as she tasted herself on Lexa's plump lips. The blonde grabbed her hips and shifted her body so Lexa could straddle one of her thighs. Lexa began rolling her hips down to grind against her without realizing it, moaning into Clarke's mouth as their tongues danced around each other. The blonde could feel the wet heat of Lexa's sex soaking her thigh and quickly switched their positions. The blonde hovered over the brunette, taking a moment to appreciate her toned body and slowly scraping her nails across the ripples of Lexa's abs. Clarke kissed the brunette's neck softly, earning a hum of contentment, before gently biting down on Lexa's throat. The brunette groaned as Clarke's fangs pierced her skin and the blonde let out a moan when her wife's blood flooded her mouth.

"Jok, Klark!" Lexa exclaimed as the blonde moved a leg to part her thighs, mouth still latched onto her jugular and she gulped the sweet metallic flavor of the brunette's blood. Clarke bit down on her own tongue, licking the wound on her wife's neck to heal it and then moved to kiss the brunette. Lexa moaned at the taste of their mixed blood on the blonde's lips and begged entrance with a swipe of her tongue. Clarke parted her lips and tongues danced again, before the blonde pulled away. Lexa let out a small whine, not wanting to part from her lips and Clarke ran her tongue along the length of her collarbone. 

“You’re so gorgeous, babe and I love you so much.” Clarke smiled and left a trail of wet kisses down to one firm breast, giving her erect nipple a fat lick before enveloping it in her warm mouth. Clarke shifted so that she was between her wife’s thighs, purposely pressing her abs against Lexa’s core.

“I love you too… jok...” Lexa mewled, as Clarke began to palm her other breast and flicked her tongue over the hard nipple in the mouth. Lexa felt like she might explode and each thump of her heart sent another throb through her aching sex. Clarke pulled away from her nipple and gave Lexa a parting kiss on her lips before moving down her body, feathering playful nips across the brunette's olive skin along her way.

"You're so wet for me, Lex." The blonde smirked gently running her fingers through her damp brown curls. Clarke wasted no time in teasing Lexa, treating her dripping slit to a slow lick and squeezed the brunette's hips as she circled her clit with her tongue. Lexa gasped, driving her pelvis up into the blonde's mouth. The brunette moaned as Clarke's tongue flicked expertly over her sensitive nub, both hands tangled into her wife’s long golden mane. Lexa was in heaven, each lick and suck sending her closer to ecstasy. Clarke moaned into her sex as she pleasured her, the vibrations adding to her bliss. Lexa could feel her orgasm just on the brink of spilling over, but she needed something more.

“Klark, beja. I need… more.” Lexa moaned, her words slurred with lust and Clarke shifted slightly so she could bring her hand up to cradle her sex, before sinking a single digit into the brunette's wet heat. Lexa let out a groan indicating that she wanted two at least, and Clarke obliged, inserting another finger. Angling her fingers up and curling them, Clarke searched for the spongy tissue inside of Lexa that would drive her insane. The blonde knew she had found it when Lexa cried out, grinding her hips upwards to the woman that was giving her so much pleasure. Lexa's hands were still fisting Clarke's golden hair, and pulled her head down further towards her sex, trying to ask for what she wanted while unable form the words. The blonde read Lexa's unspoken instructions, and sucked her clit into her mouth while continuing to pump her fingers in and out. The brunette vision was filled with stars as the pleasure coiled in her belly, burning hot as Clarke licked and pumped. “Jok… I’m gonna…” Lexa breathed, her hips bucking wildly and Clarke pressed down on her clit with her tongue firmly as she sucked, and was rewarded with another long moan. A few seconds later, the brunette's entire body tensed, her eyes rolling back and she came hard. Lexa's thighs clenched together of their own accord, walls pulsating around Clarke's still pumping fingers as she all but squirted her orgasm. The blonde continued to run lazy circles around the brunette's clit with her tongue until Lexa pulled her forcefully up by her hair to kiss her, moaning at the taste of herself on Clarke's mouth. The brunette hummed contentedly as her wife snuggled into her body and set her head on Lexa’s shoulder with a wide smile.

“Ai hod yu in, Leksa.”

“Ai hod yu in seintaim, Klark.”

“Can we just spend the rest of eternity here? Just us, making love all day and no interruptions.” The blonde placed several kisses along her wife’s collarbone and Lexa smiled widely, pulling Clarke into a deep kiss.

“Anything you want is yours, Klark. We never have to leave, if you do not wish to and I would gladly ignore the rest of the world to make you happy. Your father, Anya and Indra can run the business while we spend all day making love.” The brunette replied after pulling away and Clarke could feel that her wife meant every word.  _ Careful, baby or I just might take you up on that. _

“You really can’t say no to me, even after all these years.” The blonde smiled brightly and Lexa shook her head with a love struck look as she gently stroked her wife’s face.

“I never have been able to and I don’t plan on ever doing so, ai houmon.” The brunette gave Clarke a loving smile and the blonde pulled her into another kiss, then nuzzled into her wife’s neck.  _ This is definitely heaven, married to an amazing and beautiful wife. Our friends could visit occasionally, but I’m perfectly content with a quiet life in the country with my soulmate. Who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind and want to travel the world with her a few centuries from now… For now, this is all I need. _

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for reading and giving me feedback. It has been so much fun and there is a *slight* possibility that I'll add one shots occasionally, but no promises. Thank again and you guys are the absolute best!!!


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